C) Discuss the questions in groups.

1 Are you surprised by any of the findings? Why (not)?

2 Do you think that girls do better in Humanities? Why (not)?

3 Do you think that boys do better in the Science subjects? Why (not)?

4 To what extent do you think our gender 1 determines our interest and success in particular school subjects?

4 a) Read the article (page 36). Which paragraph (1-4) of the article mentions:

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THE CASE FOR COEDS1

(1) The results of recent studies of gender differences in education are largely in favour of single-sex schools as opposed to coeducational schools.

Most studies worldwide show that girls at single-sex schools attain the highest achievements; boys at single-sex schools are next; boys at coed schools are next; and girls at coed schools do worst of all. The results in Britain from 800 public schools, single-sex and coeducational , show that the superior performance of students

in single-sex schools is not due to socioeconomic factors but appears instead to be due to single-sex education.

(2) In Mill Hill, the country high school was divided up into a

girls' wing and a boys' wing in 1994. Since that time, the number of pupils scoring high in GCSE exams has risen from 40 percent of 79 percent. Dr Alan Davison, the principal, comments that "Men and women's brains are different. So, we need to adapt our

teaching to this . It is crucial that we in education recognise that."

(3) But a single-sex education not only tends to better academic achievement ; it has also been shown to broaden students' horizons. A British study into the attitudes of 13 and 14 year-old

pupils toward different subjects concluded that students at coed schools tended to have gender-typical subject preferences . However, boys at single-sex schools were more interested in drama, biology and languages than at coed schools, while girls at girls-only schools were more interested in Maths and Science. As a consequence the students

were not constrained2 by gender stereotypes, they were freer to explore

their own strengths and interests. Single-sex schools break down gender stereotypes. Coed schools reinforce gender stereotypes .

(4) Moreover, at many coed schools , academic performance suffers as the feeling among students that it's not "cool" to be excited about school. The game of who likes who, who's going out with who, who's cool and who's not, is what's really important at most coed schools. Studies in the United States have shown

that students in the single-sex schools have a far more positive

attitude toward studying than students in coed schools do. This finding was held for both boys and girls.

b) Discuss the arguments put forward in the article in groups.

'coeds = coeducational schools 2Constrained [k;m'stremd]- cKyn1H

USE YOUR ENGLISH

lf5A Do the project 'My Presentation'. Search for information on the

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1355