A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Repercussions of Print-Literacy as the Only Literacy for Talented Boys

In this article, the author takes a critical look at what counts as literacy for preadolescent and adolescent talented boys. Arguably, there exists a population of boys who demonstrate strong verbal abilities, as measured by standardized verbal assessments and classroom performance, yet indicate a lack of enthusiasm when encountering print-based texts in authentic environments. This article postulates why this particular group of talented boys are often perceived as unmotivated readers with poor attitudes toward literacy tasks. The author argues that traditional conceptualizations of literacy as reliant on print forms of text are outdated and unresponsive to the dynamic changes of the 21st century, thus, creating a potentially marginalized group of learners. Furthermore, the author argues that the lack of responsiveness to dynamic and multimodal characteristics of the globalized world contribute to the perceived lack of motivation talented boys demonstrate in school-based literacy spaces. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]