Girls Doing Better Than Boys with Language

Stressing biological influences, this article from Education Review looks at the issues related to boys and girls with language.
http://www.educationreview.com.au/pages/section/article.php?s=Breaking+News&idArticle=22051

Graphic Novels

Often an idea for increasing boys engagement though can be an idea to enrich learning experiences for girls too. Thoughts?
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/book_whisperer/2011/08/making_room_for_graphic_novels.html?cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS2

China and Girls

China is focusing on girls and their dropout rate and lower literacy.  This seems to be clearly a case of cultural influences upon the performance of students.  Which goes to the case that gender differences in achievement across the world is NOT a biologically hardwired issue or even a purely cultural issue.  Both are important.  But only recognizing that gender impacts the performance of boys and girls within a specific time and place will we all begin moving forward.  
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2011-08/08/c_131036642.htm

Comics in the Classroom

There has been some debate about the use of comics within the classroom, especially as a strategy to be better engage boys or to at least expand what counts as text for our students.  This article isn't gender based, but an interesting article from the classroom perspective.
http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_18562585

Edweek blogs about acting out content.  There are several links to different studies.  From the blog:  researchers found that elementary mathematics students who acted out text in word problems were more accurate and less distracted than those who didn’t.
This is an important point for multiple reasons.  Clearly the need to move is important.  What is key here is that the movement is not just a "brain break" but is instructional!  Movement is linked with learning.  Yes, this is important for boys because of high activity levels, but also needed for girls because it is just good teaching!
 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/07/13/36read.h30.html?tkn=LVRFWBCXg3ZGEFsx4ABylh%2F5%2Fmj8hvsUta9D&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

New Site for Boys and Reading

An interesting article including an interview with the founder for a new website:  boysread.com.  We need to link those with a passion and expertise for this topic together and make something happen!

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_performance/2011/06/helping_boys_develop_a_lifelong_love_of_reading.html?cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS2

Focus on Literacy for 3rd Grade

With all we know now about literacy gaps between boys and girls, we need to really start focusing on the needs and interests of boys and girls in every classroom in the primary grades in order to keep everyone engaged in reading.


http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/06/29/36literacy.h30.html?tkn=LTNF7ldOwZviTE7XD8MmC6W4V%2FIW32%2Bhgd%2B0&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1