|
Learning and Teaching
should be Flexible:
Gender
|
|
|
The issue of
Equal Opportunities for Girls is important, but the key issue currently
in the gender debate is Boys' under-achievement.
Points
Arising from Research
 |
Boys perform less
well than girls in national assessments |
|
|
Boys and girls tend
to have different preferred learning styles |
|
|
Boys tend to
interact socially in different ways from girls, affecting their education |
|
|
Boys may have
different attitudes to education |
|
|
But researchers
stress that there is no clear boy/girl divide. It is more a case of “Which
boys? Which girls?” |
|
|
The emphasis is
therefore on teaching all pupils appropriately. Much advice elsewhere in the
Toolkit will be relevant here. But much of the advice below is particularly
relevant to the education of boys |
|
|
Many gender issues
have a whole-school dimension |
K ey
Elements of Gender
Curriculum
|
|
Girls should be positively encouraged to become involved in “boys’ subjects” |
|
|
Literacy strategies for boys are important. Boys tend to like non-fiction
material, but also fantasy, adventure, and monster stories |
|
|
Ensure that teaching materials are appropriate for both boys and girls |
|
|
Promote cross-curricular initiatives |
|
|
Offer elements of choice in the curriculum to improve motivation |
|
|
Consult pupils
about the curriculum and respond to the consultation |
|
|
The purpose and
targets in curricular blocks need to be fully understood by pupils |
|
|
High levels of course-work assessment tend to favour girls. |
Assessment
|
|
Boys tend to need more feedback |
|
|
A sense of success should underpin assessment |
|
|
A range of
assessment strategies should be used (eg oral questions, written answers,
multiple choice, general observation of group work) |
|
|
A target group of boys may be focussed on to monitor assessment |
|
|
Questions and assessment items should be clearly understood by both boys and
girls |
|
|
Boys benefit from being allowed to discuss responses before committing
themselves to an answer |
|
|
Quality is more important than quantity |
|
|
Structured support should be given in formative assessment, particularly for
boys (eg Writing Frames or “scaffolding”) |
Learning styles
|
|
Boys tend to find kinaesthetic approaches effective, eg. role-play and drama |
|
|
Boys tend to like information presented in a visual way (video, OHP, ICT etc) |
|
|
Boys like information to be delivered in small chunks, with short-term goals |
|
|
Curricular activities with competitive elements are likely to suit boys |
|
|
Boys, particularly the less able, tend to respond well to ICT work |
Behaviour and attitudes
|
|
Positive role models for boys should be promoted in education generally |
|
|
Positive role models for girls should be highlighted in relation to “boys’
subjects” |
|
|
Whole school support should be considered for pupils who need to amend their
behaviour |
|
|
Peer support schemes such as mentoring and buddy-reading can help |
|
|
In the classroom anti-social personal remarks or behaviour should be dealt with
firmly, using well established procedures |
|
|
“Anti-swot” remarks or behaviour should not be tolerated |
|
|
Involvement in the wider life of the school should be encouraged
|
Organisation
|
|
Boys’ performance can be a standing item on dept./school agendas and in parent
organisations |
|
|
Under-performing boys (or girls?) can be targeted for monitoring and support |
|
|
Single-sex classes may help in secondary, especially for the less able (though
research is inconclusive on this matter) |
|
|
Structured organisation of classroom seating is helpful, and gender is a factor
in this |
|
|
Boy-girl pairing can help for planning and mutual support in written work |
|
|
Gender balance is important in pupil councils etc |
|
|
Boys should be actively encouraged to care for and enhance the school
environment |
|
|
Attempts may be made to involve parents/carers/relatives in school life
|
Reflection and Discussion
How well do
boys in your school/dept. perform in assessments?
How well do you
cater for boys? And for girls? How do you deal with the issues listed
above?
Are there any
ways in which you could improve your provision for boys? And for girls?
|
Some Activities Relating To
the Issue of Gender |
|
Key element |
Objective |
Action |
|
|
Some examples and
suggestions |
|
Curriculum |
Appropriateness of teaching materials. |
Examine the roles played by males/females in your teaching materials.
Can you improve the presentation or representation of
males/females |
|
Assessment |
Boys discussing questions before committing themselves to answers. |
Employ Formative
Assessment principles (q.v.). Use pair/small group discussion of some
assessments?
|
|
Learning Styles |
Kinaesthetic learning. |
Use movement in the classroom. Miming chemical reactions? “Stations”?
Equations demonstrated by a group with cards showing individual
elements? |
|
Behaviour and Attitudes |
Promotion of positive gender-specific role models. |
Invite into class
males who are achievers or who are learners. Invite women who have
succeeded in traditionally male roles.
|
|
Organisation |
Class seating. |
Seat boys and girls
together. Is there scope for using single sex classes, at least for low-achieving groups?
|
Selected References
Websites
The subject of
gender in teaching has been studied in many countries. The following
website deals with Australian research:
www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/policy_initiatives_reviews/key_issues/boys_education/
The following
site gives links to a variety of sites (some of them Australian):
www.simonmidgley.co.uk/achieving/gender.htm
The site of
Devon Curriculum Services provided good information on the subject, along
with further links:
www.devon.gov.uk/dcs/
The following
site includes a link to download a booklet entitled Raising Boys’
Achievement : A booklet by the National Healthy Schools Standard:
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/genderandachievement/ |
|
