Literacy, gender and underachievement through the eyes of five boys with identified literacy difficulties within the secondary curriculum

Abstract

This research sought to understand the perspectives of five Year 9 boys experiencing literacy difficulties in a mainstream secondary school in Devon. The research explored the individual experiences of literacy in their fluctuating experiences of the social world around them. It used a semi-participatory, partly visual and case-study methodology to explore what it means to be a boy with literacy difficulties in this singular context at two data collection points. The boys were also experiencing difficulties with managing their behaviour and the study has explored the juxtaposition of the performance of masculinity, behaviour and special educational needs in literacy to reach conclusions which aims to develop greater understandings of the highly individualised experiences of boys with literacy difficulties. This study highlights this by contributing to the current discourse on literacy difficulties, labelling and behaviour by identifying that despite the participants here starting with similar profiles, their experiences of literacy difficulties was vastly different. This study further contributes to current discourse on the performance of masculinity by shedding light on the keen awareness that some boys have of the performative aspect of their fluid gender identity. Implications for practice are focused on teacher awareness of the individual experiences of literacy difficulties including how language is used to create, challenge and support hegemonic masculine identities. A whole school shift in culture is required for long term understanding of individual experiences and an opportunity to support students in a more individualised way.