Reading. 10th form. II semester

Education is an important issue for many people in the UK as well as around the world. In most countries, pupils who attend secondary schools take an exam to get a school-leaving certificate. One particular worry is why boys are doing so badly. Some twenty years ago, exam scores of girls and boys in a class were compared. Boys got better results in exams, so various steps were taken to improve the results of girls, including having girl-only classes. Now, the situation is reversed, with girls getting better scores than boys. So, what has gone wrong with boys, and what can be done about it? John Dunsford, leader of the Association of Head Teachers in Secondary Schools, says that the fact that boys do not achieve much academically has its roots in society rather than the classroom. Girls, more than boys, see education as a passport to a good job. On the other hand, according to Penny Lewis, a headteacher, young men are not confident enough and are often uncertain about their place in society. Some boys grow up in families where there is no father, which means no male role model to follow. Moreover, boys learn in a different way to girls, preferring small amounts of work with short deadlines rather than large projects extended in time. And education is not seen as ‘cool’. In a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and UNESCO, girls did better than boys at reading at the age of 15 in all 45 countries. The UK took ninth place among the 45 countries in reading skills, although pupils in

the UK spend less time reading than in most other countries. Interestingly, the study suggested that British children read for pleasure more often than those in other countries.

Adapted from: www.bbc.co.uk

Twenty years ago ...

Education is an important issue for many people in the UK as well as around the world. In most countries, pupils who attend secondary schools take an exam to get a school-leaving certificate. One particular worry is why boys are doing so badly. Some twenty years ago, exam scores of girls and boys in a class were compared. Boys got better results in exams, so various steps were taken to improve the results of girls, including having girl-only classes. Now, the situation is reversed, with girls getting better scores than boys. So, what has gone wrong with boys, and what can be done about it? John Dunsford, leader of the Association of Head Teachers in Secondary Schools, says that the fact that boys do not achieve much academically has its roots in society rather than the classroom. Girls, more than boys, see education as a passport to a good job. On the other hand, according to Penny Lewis, a headteacher, young men are not confident enough and are often uncertain about their place in society. Some boys grow up in families where there is no father, which means no male role model to follow. Moreover, boys learn in a different way to girls, preferring small amounts of work with short deadlines rather than large projects extended in time. And education is not seen as ‘cool’. In a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and UNESCO, girls did better than boys at reading at the age of 15 in all 45 countries. The UK took ninth place among the 45 countries in reading skills, although pupils in

the UK spend less time reading than in most other countries. Interestingly, the study suggested that British children read for pleasure more often than those in other countries.

Adapted from: www.bbc.co.uk

Girls have better exam results than boys because ...

Education is an important issue for many people in the UK as well as around the world. In most countries, pupils who attend secondary schools take an exam to get a school-leaving certificate. One particular worry is why boys are doing so badly. Some twenty years ago, exam scores of girls and boys in a class were compared. Boys got better results in exams, so various steps were taken to improve the results of girls, including having girl-only classes. Now, the situation is reversed, with girls getting better scores than boys. So, what has gone wrong with boys, and what can be done about it? John Dunsford, leader of the Association of Head Teachers in Secondary Schools, says that the fact that boys do not achieve much academically has its roots in society rather than the classroom. Girls, more than boys, see education as a passport to a good job. On the other hand, according to Penny Lewis, a headteacher, young men are not confident enough and are often uncertain about their place in society. Some boys grow up in families where there is no father, which means no male role model to follow. Moreover, boys learn in a different way to girls, preferring small amounts of work with short deadlines rather than large projects extended in time. And education is not seen as ‘cool’. In a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and UNESCO, girls did better than boys at reading at the age of 15 in all 45 countries. The UK took ninth place among the 45 countries in reading skills, although pupils in

the UK spend less time reading than in most other countries. Interestingly, the study suggested that British children read for pleasure more often than those in other countries.

Adapted from: www.bbc.co.uk

Boys differ from girls in ...