Reading Motivation: The Difference Between Boys and Girls

This research paper examines the different factors that motivate girls and boys to read. Current research claims that boys and girls have different preferences, which is a large cause of the “gender gap” in schools. Other researchers claim that boys‟ resistance to reading is due to the type of texts used in school, which is primarily fiction. Action research was conducted, where five fifth graders chose three texts that they would like to read, found that boys and girls have similar reading preferences, but varies from person to person, not gender. This implies that students need opportunities to choose texts not based on gender, but their own preferences and interests