Gender Issues in Schools

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Boys educational underachievement (Epstain et al, 1998, Reed, 1999), has raised nationwide and global apprehension and has been the main focal point of the current ‘gender agenda’. Newspapers consist of headlines such as “It is right to worry about the future of our young men” (2010 The Observer), “Use sand to help young boys write, says government” (2009: Guardian), “Are co-ed or single-sex lessons best?” (2009: Guardian) and “Quarter of boys miss writing target at 7!” (2009: Guardian) In this essay I will present relevant statistics illustrating the current gender gap of boys underachievement. Further to this, I will also exemplify the social and political change in times in terms of how this has effected boys and girls educational attainment, identifying the contrast of attainment amid girls and boys in education. Finally, I will suggest how I would tackle such an issue, if I had the influence to do so. Geoff Hannan, an expert on the topic, suggests that boys are 11 months behind girls with regards to speaking and listening skills, one year behind in literacy and six months behind in mathematics. Hannan also claims that by KS3 tests that take place in year nine, girls are frequently over a year ahead of the boys in English, 10% more girls consistently achieve the higher GCSE grades (A* to C). The core subject of English appears to represent the largest separation between girls and boys academic achievement. Ivan Lewis MP suggested that 17% of girls rocket ahead, attaining higher scores than that of the boys in this subject. In other subjects such as history, geography, design and technology and modern languages, Lewis claims that there is still an apparent variance, with an out performance of 10% higher marks a... ... middle of paper ... ...ann, 1999. Print. Kirby, R. "Underachievement in Boys." Practical Parent. Winchester, Web. 19 Mar. 2011. . Pirie, Madsen. "How exams are fixed in favour of girls." The Spectator, [UK] 20 Jan. 2001: 2-4. Print. Reed, L. Raphael. "Troubling Boys and Disturbing Discourses on Masculinity and Schooling: a feminist exploration of current debates and interventions concerning boys in school.." Gender and Education 11.1 (1998): 93-110. Print. Shepherd , Jessica . "Quarter of boys miss writing target at 7 ." The Guardian [UK] 25 Aug. 2009, sec. Education: guardian.co.uk. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. Spencer, H. The Priciples of Biology 2. London: No Publisher, 1867. Print. Williams, Rachel . "Use sand to help young boys write, says government." Guardian [UK ] 29 Dec. 2009, sec. Education: guardian.co.uk. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.

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