e - P U B L I C A T I O N

S E R I E S

Also published by ACEL • e-Shortcuts – Wisdom for successful school leadership and management• e-Leading – Management strategies for school leaders• e-Technology – Technology in the classroom• e-Early Learning – Thinking on early learning

e-Teaching September 2016 (31) – researched and prepared for ACEL by Amber Carter, Director of Studies, St Philip’s Christian College, Cessnock.

Subscribe online at www.acel.org.au

SEPTEMBER 2016 (31)

As part of the process of planning for learning, the teachers of mandatory subjects at St Philip’s Christian College, Cessnock meet to analyse data on student

achievement and discuss strategies that are working for individuals and groups of students. When teachers begin to discuss students who are difficult to motivate, disruptive or lack motivation, the conversation often centres around the boys. There is significant research that identifies the challenges faced by boys in our schools. Boys have an earlier leaving age, are more likely to be in unskilled employment and hence are more likely to be unemployed. Boys have a higher rate of suicide and are more likely to become disengaged from school (Muns, et al., 2010).

Clearly boys and girls are different, however, this is not to say that being male is a label or an excuse for disruptive behaviour and stereotypical outcomes. To ensure the best outcomes for boys it is imperative for teachers to be aware of differences in boys and girls and develop pedagogies which accommodate both genders. As teachers we are

in a place to assist boys in overcoming challenges they may be faced with and develop resilient and confident young men.

So what is the difference between boys and girls?With the advances in medical imaging technology such as PET scans we now have a greater understanding of the physiological differences between boys and girls. Recent research has shown that the areas of the brain that affect language, spatial memory and motor coordination develop at a different rate, in a different order and at a different development time in boys compared to girls. While the areas involved in language and fine motor skills mature about six years earlier in girls than boys, the areas involved in spatial memory mature some four years earlier in boys compared to girls (Bonomo, 2010). Over time these differences become less prominent, however, teachers do need to be aware of the differences in gender development.

Testosterone is a sex hormone that drives the

Teaching boys

Clearly boys and girls are different, however, this is not to say that being male is a label or an excuse for disruptive behaviour and stereotypical outcomes

male body and promotes bone growth and muscle mass and lowers the male voice. Testosterone is linked to boys’ inability to stay sedentary for long periods of time. It has also been linked to aggressive behaviour and difficulties in processing emotion. Males and females both have testosterone, however, not only do boys have a far greater amount, they will receive as many as five to eight surges of it daily during adolescence (Medina, 2014).

Serotonin is a chemical messenger that facilitates communication between the brain and the body. It is also linked with processing emotions and acting as a calming mechanism. Serotonin assists in the regulation of body temperature, sensory perception and the onset of sleep. High levels of serotonin are related to high self-esteem and controlled muscle movements. Lower levels of serotonin have been linked with irritability, impulsiveness, aggression and, in extreme cases, violence and suicidal behaviour. The male brain secretes far less serotonin than the female brain, hence leading males to be more impulsive and fidgety. Interestingly there has been significant research that indicates exercise can have a positive influence on hormone secretions and hence influence positive behaviour (Bonomo, 2010).

Table 1 summarises some of the specific brain differences in boys’ and girls’ brains and how this can impact on their approach to learning.

Boy friendly strategiesThe impulsivity, single task focus and spatial-kinaesthetic learning boys bring to the classroom should be viewed as an asset to be cultivated. Teachers can alter strategies to support boys and help them succeed. Some practical approaches to teaching boys include:

Increase experiential and kinaesthetic learning

opportunities: instead of relying on worksheets, find ways to actively engage students in the learning process.

Support literacy through spatial-visual representations: non-verbal planning tools support students to connect what they are thinking and what they are able to put down on paper. Pictures on a storyboard prompt the brain to remember relevant words and phrases and students can then add to that foundation.

Let boys choose topics that appeal to them: this is a strategy that benefits all students as this allows them a sense of autonomy over their own learning. Allowing boys to choose their reading material, research topic or writing focus is particularly beneficial as it not only allows them to channel their interests into their learning but increases their engagement in reading and improves creative and expository writing.

Break tasks down into achievable steps: boys often need support with organisation and this is also the case when completing classwork. Boys are more likely to engage in a complex activity if this is broken down into steps so they can see the link between the process and the end goal.

Provide specific roles during group activities: when working in groups boys benefit from having designated roles. Boys are generally task oriented and this provides them with purpose to the group task. Roles should be selected that increase students’ responsibility for the intellectual quality of the work. Some examples of such roles include the big ideas person, clarifier, questioner and sceptic.

Control where boys sit: often students who are not paying attention are playing up to their ‘local audience’. Move these students to the front and establish a seating plan so student know where they

Table 1: The differences between boys and girls.

Boys Girls

In the male brain, a larger area is devoted to spatial mechanical functioning and half as much to verbal emotive functioning.

Girls can multitask better than boys because the female corpus callosum is 26 per cent larger than the male. The corpus callosum is the nervous tissue that sends signals between the two halves of the brain.

Boys utilise the cerebral cortex less often than girls and they access the primitive areas of the brain more often while performing the same types of activities or tasks.

Girls have the ability to transition between lessons more quickly and are less apt to have attention span issues.

For the male brain to renew or recharge it will go into rest states, while the female brain does so without rest states or sleep.

The neural connectors that create listening skills are more developed in the female brain and therefore enhance listening skills, memory storage, and tone of voice discrimination in girls.

Boys have less serotonin and less oxytocin, which makes them more impulsive and less likely to sit still to talk to someone.

Girls make fewer impulsive decisions than boys due to a higher serotonin level.

Boys structure or compartmentalise learning due to the fact that they have less blood flow to the brain.

The female brain has 15 per cent more blood flow than the male brain, allowing for enhanced integrated learning.

Boys’ brains are better suited to symbols, abstractions, and pictures. Boys in general learn higher maths and physics better than girls. Boys prefer video games for the physical movement and destruction. Boys get into more trouble for not listening, moving around, sleeping in class, and incomplete assignments.

Because girls have more cortical areas devoted to verbal functioning, they are better at sensory memory, sitting still, listening, tonality, and the complexities of reading and writing (the skills and behaviours that tend to be rewarded in school).

Adapted from Sousa (2014) and Bonomo (2010)

The male brain secretes far less serotonin than the female brain, hence leading males to be more impulsive and fidgety

are expected to be every lesson. Also keep in mind that boys like to take up more space when they are sedentary and this should not be interpreted as deliberately disrupting other students.

Know how to help them manage anger: anger and shame can block the learning process for boys. Once angry, boys can find it difficult to come back to the learning process. If boys feel as though they are going to lose face in front of their peers they will understandably become confrontational. It is better to remove the student from the situation and deal with the issue away from their peers.

These are only a small selection of strategies that can be used to accommodate the learning needs of boys. It is important to acknowledge there are a large number of issues at play when it comes to addressing the needs of boys such as masculinity and resilience. When planning the next sequence of teaching, however, consider how students are reacting and engaging with the learning presented

Table 2: Gender differences in summary.

Boys usually Girls usually

Have 35% less hearing than girls due to the cochlear length in the ear.

Hear better than boys.

Locate objects better than girls. Can discriminate between objects better than boys.

Focus on movement and cold colours. Focus on faces and warm colours.

Use more of the primitive parts of the brain. Use the advanced portion of the brain.

Find it difficult to talk about feelings. Can explain and describe their feelings.

Develop spatial memory about four years earlier than girls.

Develop language and fine motor skills about six years earlier than boys.

Focus on task and transition more slowly. Multitask well and make easy transitions.

Friendships are focused on a shared activity. Friendships are focused on other girls.

Find conversation unnecessary. Find conversation important.

Self-revelation to be avoided if possible. Self-revelation and sharing are precious parts of friendship.

May not ask for help to avoid being perceived as ‘sucking up’ to the teacher.

Enjoy a close relationship with the teacher.

Avoid eye contact and prefer you to sit beside them. Liked to be faced, looked in the eye and smiled at.

Find it difficult to retain sensory details. Retain sensory details well.

Want to be alone when dealing with stress. Want to be with friends when under stress.

Feel excited when faced with threat and confrontation. Feel sick or nauseated when faced with threat and confrontation.

Prefer non-fiction. Prefer to read fiction.

to them and some gender-based differences may become clearer. Likewise, as you speak with the student who shows disruptive behaviour, how are they reacting and interacting with you? Gender based differences are not an excuse, however, it does change the lens through which we can view or interactions with our students.

ReferencesBonomo, V 2010, ‘Gender Matters in Education’, Educational Horizons, Summer, p.257-263Medina, J 2014, Brain Rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home and school, Pear Press, Seattle, WA.Munns, G, Arthur, L, Downes, T, Gregson, R, Power, A, Sawyer, W, Sing, M, Martin, J, Steele, F 2010, Motivation and Engagement of Boys – A report submitted to the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training, ACER Press, Camberwell, Victoria.Sousa, DA 2014, How the Brain Learns, Hawker-Brownlow, Moorabbin, Vic.

Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men. Kin Hubbard

I feel like I ‘get’ boys. I’ve always been a boy’s girl. Boys are easy; they just break stuff. Pink

Giving responsibility is the key to success with boys, especially with the rowdiest and most difficult boys. Robert Baden-Powell

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport. William Shakespeare

It is important to acknowledge

there are a large number

of issues at play when it comes to addressing

the needs of boys such as masculinity

and resilience