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Girls Outperform Boys in Reading, Study Says
Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Big Kids, Research Reveals: Tweens
A book is a powerful tool in the classroom gender wars. Credit: Getty Images
The battle of the sexes isn't just for boardrooms anymore. Gender wars continue to play out in classrooms across the nation -- and girls appear to be winning when it comes to reading.
A new study by the Center on Education Policy (CEP) that analyzed data from standardized test scores from school districts across the United States, finds boys lag behind girls in reading proficiency by 10 percentage points. In reading, boys did not outperform girls in any state and in any achievement level -- whether it was the basic, proficient or advanced level.
However, the same study reveals that, when it comes to math proficiency, girls show more ability in some states while boys are equally competent in math in other states. According to the CEP, using the standardized test scores from fourth, eighth and 11th graders shows the reading and math results prove to be consistent in elementary, middle or high school students.
The CEP study notes that the test scores, compiled from 2002 through 2008, include "at least three years of comparable test data for a particular subject, grade and achievement level."
Taking the data from test scores provided by all 50 states, the CEP analysis indicates that boys' reading skills lag behind girls' in some states, but in math, there was no state in which either gender outperformed the other by such a large margin.
In a press release, the center calls the disparity in reading the "most pressing gender-gap issue facing our schools."
"Our analysis suggests that the gap between boys and girls in reading is a cause for concern," Jack Jennings, CEP's president and chief executive officer states in the release. "Much greater attention must be paid to giving boys the reading skills they need to succeed in early grades and throughout their education."
The CEP determined that from 2002, when No Child Left Behind federal legislation was enacted, through 2008, more states had improved reading and math scores than had lagged behind. In fact, 24 states have narrowed gender gaps in reading. However, the gap has widened in another 14 states, the CEP release says.
"Researchers and state officials might investigate ways in which the school environment may be changed to better address the needs of boys," the report concludes.
Related: Toys 'R' Us Chided for Reinforcing 'Outdated Gender Roles'
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
3-22-2010 @ 9:33PM
Diane said...The parents set the tone for reading development in their children. If you are an avid reader your children will naturally follow your lead.
Both my daughter and my son read voraciously and excel in reading at school. The school asks for 20 minutes per day of reading and they read at least an hour each evening. They pass all their reading retention exams with flying colors. I see no difference between my children other than the fact they read more than a typical student their age. They are proud to be good readers and we can't go often enough to the library. Yes, they love sports, guitar and karate so they are well rounded and liked by their peers. Don't worry about who is best boys or girls. Just set out to create an environment where your children can flourish.
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3-18-2010 @ 7:07AM
Mamanui said...Diane, another excellent and articulate comment. The important thing to remember is that if we help our children to love reading, they will be lifelong learners, and even without a higher education degree can be some of the smartest people you will ever meet. Encourage reading in boys and girls from an early age and as the grow into more confident readers guide them to materials with positive, and global messages / themes / ideas, so that they develop the ability to learn constructively through reading, and really want to learn more.
3-18-2010 @ 7:34AM
LH said...Clearly evidence of sexsm and discrimination against males by a female dominated teaching profession. Where is the American Association of University Women to protest?
Reply
3-18-2010 @ 8:42AM
Rick said...its probably because a good % of young boys are sissys lmao....alot of young boys are raised to be like girls lmao....like it or not thats the truth
Reply
3-19-2010 @ 12:32AM
SKL said...This is old news. But I love the gender-bias spin. Takes me back to the days when I was an education student. Ugh.
Anyone who has tried to teach multiple little girls and boys to read knows that little girls are just wired better for it. A couple comments above suggest maybe we shouldn't even try with boys until they are older. Or, at least we shouldn't hold them to the same standard as girls at a young age. Interesting idea.
For a while they tried "boy-ifying" reading materials to get boys more engaged. The result was a plethora of poorly-written, stilted "books" (termed "high interest") that neither girls nor boys were motivated to read. I've read about a number of other "best practices" along these lines, and yet I haven't noticed little boys closing the gender gap. Do you think "educators" will ever get a clue?
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