Are we socialising boys to be poor writers?

[Campaspe]

Found this blog piece and thought it very interesting and insightful.

What do others think?

thequirkyteacher.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/are-we-socialising-boys-to-be-poor-writers/

Surely the point of assessment is to keep track of pupils' progress toward eventual qualifications.
If boys are consistently doing badly in these assessments merely by virtue of traits commonly associated with their gender, perhaps it is the test itself that's at fault.
There needs to be some recognition that boys develop literacy skills differently to girls, and a way found to identify the progress they are making without belittling their reading choices.

Mrz Thanks. Yes, I do understand that although DS has definitely struggled with it. The piece in question was "creative writing". He has written a narrative with twists. I think he needs to insert more literary devices to do better on the mark scheme. I asked him if he had metaphors in and he said that the whole of the last paragraph was a metaphor. I don't think this will get a tick on the mark scheme. I think he needs to have a list of punctuation and literary techniques and then tick them off as he writes. I can see the learning objective in this but it is also constrictive and mechanical. Many published authors don't follow all these rules but then I guess you need to now how to walk before you can run. I think DS has a flair with words but he finds it hard to conform.

I think it's too simplistic to say that boys aren't doing well at writing. It's clearly untrue when you look at results and look at all the fabulous male authors. The truth is not as many boys as girls achieve the highest grades ... Very different thing.

I don't think you need to conform to be a good writer rotaryairer. Some of our highest achievers are boys who have a decidedly quirky style. Yes they do need to demonstrate that they understand how authors use literary devices but it doesn't need to be formulaic. The best work is fresh and gripping and most of all original.

I've taught girls who are very good at all the technical stuff but their writing is boring ... Different isn't a bad thing!