ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the evidence for 'underachievement' in school. It looks at alternative accounts for boys' 'underachievement' in literacy-based subjects. Underachievement is a synonym for much that is perceived to be wrong in today's society, from low scores on international children's reading tests to the social consequences of underachievement such as criminal behaviour, social exclusion and unsuccessful relationships and marriages. In response to concerns about male underachievement, a plethora of strategies and initiatives have emerged. One of the enduring 'myths' about standards in education has arisen from 'moral panics' about the perceived underachievement of boys in school examinations. The wider perception of what is understood by the term 'underachievement' has been further complicated with its adoption by the media as a synonym for much of what is perceived to be wrong with education and is exacerbated by its confusion with low achievement.
