An Investigation into the Awareness among High School Teachers of Boys' Reading Preferences and an Analysis of the Required Reading of Boys in the Lower Track.

Research into the reading preferences of boys and girls has shown that there is a difference between the two sexes regarding the type of literature they enjoy reading. These preferences begin at an early age and continue on throughout their school careers. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school teachers are aware of these different preferences, and also to examine the types of books that make up the required reading of male students in the lower track. These books were analyzed for the characteristics that appeal to boys. The study was conducted in a suburban high school in New Jersey. In this high school, it was found that all of the teachers are aware of the differences in reading preferences of boys and girls. An examination of the required texts in one school's curriculum, however, revealed that few of the books had characteristics of reading material that have been found to be motivating to boys. Implications of these findings are presented. (Contains 90 references and a table of data. Appendixes contain the survey instrument, a checklist, and a list of canonical literature.) (Author/RS)