Effects of Sex-Fair Reading Materials on Pupils’ Attitudes,Comprehension,and Interest

Abstract

This study was conducted to address gaps in the research on gender characteristics of reading materials. Pupils in grades 4, 7, and 11 read four narratives, one for each of four sex role conditions: traditional female, nontraditional female, traditional male, nontraditional male. After reading nontraditional narratives, pupils at all grades were more likely to think both females and males should and could do the activity of the main character than after reading traditional narratives. Neither comprehension nor interest was diminished by the use of sex-fair materials. Pupils at higher grades gave more stereotyped responses than pupils at lower grades.