Alexandra Russell Professor MacKenzie EDUC 346 24 April 2012

The gap between the average scores of males and females in reading at all age levels on the long-term National Assessment of Education Progress has been between 7 and 15 points on a 500-point scale (2007, 718).

1. Biological 2. Social
3. Physical

 Do you think that the differences between the genders

are more biological or socially constructed? Why?

Who outperforms who? Why do you think this

happens?
What can teachers do to lesson the gap between boys

and girls?

From Berman, D. D. (2008). Gender differences in neural processing oflanguage among children. Neuropsychologia , 5 (46), 1349-1362

Brain is lateralized
Both sides involved in the performance of both tasks Each side is specialized

 Researchers look at the brains of children

with some sort of brain damage or dysfunction

See which areas are activated during tasks

Aphasia Females less likely to suffer from verbal impairment

Schizophrenia

1. Boys brains simply do not mature as fast as

girls 2. Visual or auditory information is somehow blocked from reaching the brain in boys 3. Boys create visual and auditory associations so they only need to hear or see the word in order to remember the meaning

From Katz, H., Sokal, L., Adkins, M., Gladu, A., & Jackson-Davis, K. (2005). Boys Will Be "Boys": Variability in Boys' Experiences of Literacy. Alberta Journal of Educational Research , 51 (3), 216-230.

Younger boys get teased for reading Older boys view English as a feminine subject and

want to preserve their masculinity

Reading model is feminine

Genres boys are interested in are not offered in

classrooms
Not legitimate forms of literacy

From Sanford, K. (2005/2006). Gendered Literacy Expectations: The Effects of Expectation and Opportunity for Boys' and Girls' Learning. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 49 (4), 302-315.

Teachers over-emphasize the achievements

of boys Girls feel pressure to succeed in English Perpetuate stereotype

From Sax, L. (2006). Six Degrees of Separation: What Teachers Need to Know about the Science of Sex Differences. Educational Horizons , 84 (3), 190-200.

Temperature of the room

Language of teacher Opinions on reading?

Be more open to various

types of literacy and genres More male teachers Single-sex classrooms

(2007). The "Boy Problem". In B. J. Bank (Ed.), Gender and Education (Vol. 2, pp. 717-722). Westport, CT:Praeger . Berman, D. D. (2008). Gender differences in neural processing oflanguage among children. Neuropsychologia , 5 (46), 1349-1362. Boys' And Girls' Brains Are Different: Gender Differences In Language Appear Biological. (2008, March 3). Retrieved April 2, 2012, from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303120346.htm

Davies, C. (1997). Literacy in the secondary school: Does the curriculum favor girls? Oxford Review of Education , 23 (4), 523-527. Katz, H., Sokal, L., Adkins, M., Gladu, A., & Jackson-Davis, K. (2005). Boys Will Be "Boys": Variability in Boys' Experiences of Literacy. Alberta Journal of Educational Research , 51 (3), 216-230.

Newkirk, T. (1975). The Limitations of the Standardized Reading Test. The English Journal , 64 (3), 50-52.

Rogers, D. W. (2009, November). Towards an Understanding of Gender Differences in Literacy Achievement. EQAO Research , 1-4. Sanford, K. (2005/2006). Gendered Literacy Expectations: The Effects of Expectation and Opportunity for Boys' and Girls' Learning. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 49 (4), 302-315. Sax, L. (2009). Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underacheiving Young Men. Men and Masculinities , 12 (2), 260-261. Sax, L. (2006). Six Degrees of Separation: What Teachers Need to Know about the Science of Sex Differences. Educational Horizons , 84 (3), 190-200. Spironelli, C., Penolazzi, B., & Angrilli, A. (2010). Gender Differences in Reading in School Aged Children: An Early ERP Study. Developmental Neuropsychology , 357-375. Watson, A., Kehler, M., & Martino, W. (2010). The Problem of Boys' Literacy Underachievement: Raising Some Questions . Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 53 (5), 356-361.