How boys and girls learn differently Boys Vs. Girls How boys and girls learn differently

Overview Brain differences Effects of Hormones Learning Strategies Statistics Conclusion

The Female Brain Matures earlier Speak in sentences earlier Broca’s area & frontal lobe are more active Improved verbal communication Cerebrum is always active Greater ability to multi-task Copus callosum is larger Coordinate the two sides of their brain better ** Better at listening and communicating

The Male Brain Amygdale is larger More aggressive behavior Cerebral cortex is thicker on right side Better at solving abstract problems More developed right hemisphere Better at measuring and using models ** Better at problem solving and building projects

Female Hormones Progesterone & Estrogen Make females bond more easily Fluctuation creates moodiness

Male Hormone Testosterone Aggressive Socially ambitious Muscular

Learning Strategies for Girls Visual learners Use pictures and charts Verbal learners Enjoy talking and discussing topics Less likely to take risks Need to be encouraged Using graphs and pictures

Learning Strategies for Boys Kinesthetic learners Like to be active while learning Like numbers and symbols Like to decipher codes, solve pattern games and use formulas to solve problems

Statistics Boys earn 70% of the D’s and F’s Boys account for 2/3 of the learning disability diagnoses Boys represent 90% of the discipline referrals 80% of high school dropouts are male Males make up fewer than 40% of the college students (Gurian, 2001)

Observations of female students Girls like background information Girls like story problems Girls are more concerned with pleasing adults. Girls have more concern for their grade

Observations of Boys Boys get bored easily Boys like to solve equations instead of reading story problems Confrontation works well with boys Boys respond well to noisy classrooms

Conclusion Boys and Girls learn differently Educators need to be aware of these differences Create classrooms that are conducive to all learners Consider single sex classrooms at the junior high level

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