Thinking aloud - What is my research question?

My research question for this project is, what are some promising strategies that could help third grade boys who are reluctant readers, to be more involved in reading fictional texts that they find disconnecting to their lives and experiences? The reason behind this inquiry is that back in our October meeting when I had an opportunity to begin thinking and generating ideas around the topic of Critical Literacy, I recalled many lingering questions and topics that I always care about ever since I started teaching. As I remember some of the challenging moments and students I have encountered, I began to write down topics like boys and literacy, literacy and technology, getting ADHD/ADD students to read, and literacy and art. As I was discussing and sharing these topics with my colleagues, I found that I was more engaged in telling the story of the reluctant male readers. I believed that this is the topic that perplexed me the most since getting boys to read fictional texts has always been a hurdle for me. My colleagues also suggested me that I could possibly focus on three different genres of fictional texts for each cycle: narrative, fantasy and historical. One of my colleagues also shared an article by Barnett and Rivers called Gender Myths and the Education of Boys, which has inspired me to look at this issue with a different set of lens, namely the remedial strategies in creating effective and positive learning environment for all students. Some other useful resources are some notes I have taken in one of the NCTE workshops called Boy’s Writing and Their Literacy Lives, and other empirical articles and a book called Boys and Literacy written by Maynard. Through this investigation, I will be looking thoroughly and specifically at the cultural aspect of Critical Literacy in a third grade classroom in Harlem.