A STUDY ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ATTITUDES OF BOYS AND GIRLS TOWARDS READING ENGLISH

                        Abstract

Differences in attitudes towards reading English have been observed in several studies.  Some studies have found that girls (enjoy reading significantly more than boys. Boys read less than girls, which directly connects to their level of reading fluency. Boys also tend to see themselves as poor readers. Gender differences in interests have also been observed in several studies: boys tend to engage in reading through different types of literature than girls. Boys are less likely to be committed fiction readers than are girls and that they are more interested in nonfiction and non-print media and tend to lose interest in reading through their years in secondary school . Boys tend to read brief informative texts. They prefer non-fiction, comics, how-to manuals, graphic novels, sports,  fantasy, humor, horror and action books.

 key terms

Reading - refers to the process of constructing meaning through a dynamic interaction between the reader's existing knowledge, the information suggested by the written language, and the context of the reading situation.

Attitude - refers to a predisposition to react specifically towards an object, situation, or value which is usually accompanied by feelings and emotions.

A STUDY ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ATTITUDES OF BOYS AND GIRLS TOWARDS READING ENGLISH

The main objectives of the study are to examine boys and girls attitude towards reading English and if reading attitudes and interests differ according to sex.

Survey method was used for the current study. Primary data required for the study were collected from PKPHS school ulikkal in Kannur district. Selected respondents of PKPHS school ulikkal of Kannur district by using questionnaire. A total number of 40 samples have been selected for the purpose of this study. 20 samples took from boys and 20 samples from girls. The study covers a period of 28/09/2017 to 30/09/2017 and the relevant information was obtained.

The present study aims to find out the boys and girls attitudes reading English. The result of the study can be valid and generalized to other similar samples to a considerable extent. This study deals with the boys and girls attitudes towards reading English. Here the primary data collected from the high school students is analyzed in order to find out the habit of reading in students and to find the difference of boys and girls attitude among reading English.

                                               According to the survey it is find that 47% of boys are interested in reading English and 87% of girls are shown interested in reading English. Hence girls are shown more interest in reading English than boys. Only 13%of girls are not interested in reading English and in the case of boys 53% are not interested. This reflects the current scenario of students’ interest in reading English. 35% of boys and 50% of girls are interested to get book as present. Whereas, 65% of boys and 50% girls were not interested to getting books as gift.

                                              According to the Secondary students them only 6% of boys are interested in reading English newspaper and 94% doesn’t have the habit of reading English newspaper. But we can see that the majority of girls such as 62% have the habit of reading English newspaper. Girls grasp English easier than boys. 75% of girls can easy to understand English they read. Only 25% of girls felt difficult to read English. In the case of boys 41% can understand easily English. And 59% boys felt difficult to read English.

From the study it is clear that both boys and girls visits library. 17% of boys and 37% of girls are regularly visits library. Majority of students such as 83% boys and 63% of girls are not regular visitor of library. They visits library for any special needs only. It conveys that the students interest of visiting library. The study also shows that there were 76% male students and 62% female students are interested in reading Comics and 89% male students and 63% female students are interested in reading Adventurous books. Hence it shows that boys are more interested in reading Comics and Adventurous books than girls. Hence the reading tastes of both boys and girls are different.

                                              The illustration states that student’s interest in evil and good character. About 40% of boys and 37% of girls are interested in evil characters whereas 41% of boys and 63% of girls are interested in good characters. Most of the female students like positive and good characters. But in the case of male students they shows interest in evil characters when the read.

From this study it is clear that only 29% of male students and 37% of female students are interested in reading aloud especially English. And 59% of male students and 75% of female students are interested or like to listen when someone read aloud. Majority of the male students and female students are not interested in read aloud. But majority of students are interested to listen when someone reads aloud. From the study it is clear that majority of boys and girls likes to read together with peers. 70% of boys and 75% of girls are interested to read together with their friends. 30% of boys and 25% girls are not find enjoyment in reading together with their friends.

 There were 88% male students and 100% female students are interested in Happy ending. When they read a work most of the students want happy ending. Only 12% of male students are interested in tragic ending of work. None of female students are interested in tragic ending. From the study it is clear that the ratio of boys and girls are equal in reading fiction and nonfiction. 70% of boys and girls prefer fiction and 25% of boys and girls prefer nonfiction for reading. It is clear that boys and girls are least interest in preferring poem and drama for reading.  Only 3% boys and 5% girls prefer poem for reading. And girls are not at all interested in reading drama while mere 2% of boys are interested to prefer drama to read.

Major  findings

·        Majority of students like to read books. In which47% of boys and 87% of girls are shown interest in reading English. Hence girls are shown more interest to reading English than boys.

·        42% of students shown interest in getting book as present. Girls shown more interest than boys in getting books as present.

·        Among the samples, only 29% of male students and 37% of female students were interested in reading aloud especially English.

·        Among the samples 59% of male students and 75% of female students were interested or like to listen when someone read aloud.

·        When we compare with boys and girls boys shown more interest in reading comics and adventurous books than girls.

·        About 40% of boys and 37% of girls are interested in evil characters whereas 41% of boys and 63% of girls are interested in good characters.

·        Most of the students like happy ending. Only few boys shown interest in tragic ending.

·        Among the samples only 6% of boys were interested in reading English newspaper and 94% of them didn’t have the habit of reading English newspaper. But the majority of girls have the habit of reading English newspaper.

17% of boys and 37% of girls are regularly visits library. Majority of students visit library only for special needs.

·        Girls can understand English easier than boys. 25% of girls and 59% boys felt difficult to read English.

·        Majority of boys and girls likes to read together with peers.

·        Most of the students prefer fiction than poem and play.

Conclusion

 The aim of this study was to examine the boys and girls attitude towards reading English. Where, boys and girls had different views in reading English. Some cases they had same opinion on reading and in those studied the answer appear to be yes. This was highlighted by the fact that all of the girls questioned said that they liked reading, whether it is reading at home or in school, whilst boys were less enthusiastic. Further extending this was the discrepancy between the time spent reading at home, with boys reading less on average and a minority of one boy reading more than the class average.

From the data collected in this investigation we can draw some important implications for reading policy and practice and some information that can help us motivate both boys and girls taking into account the multiple differences observed in interests and attitudes towards reading.

Though in our study, unlike the Finnish study (MerisuoStorm, 2012), no significant differences in global attitudes towards reading were found between boys and girls, multiple differences were observed in some variables such as interests in reading, type of reading materials preferred and self-concept. Boys tend to find interest in different types of literature than girls. Boys prefer non-fiction books, comics, adventures and sports magazines … For them reading must be related with their outside of school interests. They tend to read brief, informative texts they also enjoy adventure, humor, horror and those stories with fearsome villains and evil characters. Therefore, boys don´t enjoy typical school texts and this might lead to a lower reading level which can affect their performance in all subjects.

On the other hand, although our study shows that girls enjoy reading more than boys, and that they are more interested in fiction books and books that reflect emotions and positive feelings.

Our study therefore confirms that preferences and interests are not always the same in boys and girls. As teachers, we must try to uncover the interest of each of our students. We believe that single sex education might help cater to boy´s and girl´s natural interests and strengths and therefore facilitate motivation towards reading.

Both find most difficult remembering the contents of the texts they read in school. Teachers have an important role in the development of a positive self concept of children. In all cases, but specially when teaching girls, teachers must be careful to provide positive experiences and encouraging feedback to help students become more confident with reading during their school years, since achievement beliefs are especially important in further years when tasks and reading becomes more challenging.