At least once a year, around the time of examination results, the papers are full of stories of how boys are underachieving in comparison to girls. While arousing the curiosity, and often deeply troubling the parents of boys, the press, and indeed the government, rarely offers more than the 'laddish culture' or 'anti social behaviour' as the root cause. Parents deserve and need to know the full range of reasons why boys are underachieving and, fundamentally, what they can do to help prevent disaffection and underachievement in their boys. This highly informative and highly practical book contains strong messages about the need to develop independence in boys, the importance of male role models within the close (and extended) family and what to look out for in school, including signs of peer pressure and limiting negative self beliefs. It gives advice on how best to support boys in their learning and in developing self esteem.

Telling it like it is Explaining the full picture, how boys are doing nationally in schools and why it is happening. The barriers to boys' achievement and how parents can help break them down The major section, with practical strategies showing parents how they can contribute to breaking them down:Too much pressure pre-schoolLack of independenceStarting school linguistically less developedPhysiological needs not metNegative attitudes to writingLimited interest in readingInability to plan and prepare effectivelyPeer pressureThe laddish cultureEmotional Intelligence issuesUnderstanding his preferred way of workingPoor reflection skillsLow self-esteem and limiting self-beliefsLack of positive male role modelsLet's hear it from the boysExtracts from a wide range of interviews with boys about what THEY think the issues are and what they think the solutions might be. Boys are the REAL experts, not only do they know the root causes of their dissatisfaction with school and their subsequent poor performance, they also know what needs to be done. How parents can help with homework, revision etcHow schools are responding to the problem