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| Education & Learning
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Hidden A-gender
Your child's gender does influence the way they learn
By Fiona Walker
The most profound difference between the sexes is in the sequence of development of the various brain regions and not in the brain structure.
Girls want you to offer frequent encouragement while they are working on a task, while boys may be more likely to just get on with it and give you a shout when they are finished.
Your child’s preschool years are very important as the experience can colour their view of school, learning and their own abilities for many years to come. |
It’s a long held belief that if we remove any gender bias from the way we treat boys and girls, they will develop in similar ways and be equally likely to excel in any area. It is true that children learn appropriate behaviour and attitudes from family and the overall culture they grow up in. But this fact does not explain clearly enough why boys tend to be more interested in toys with moving parts and physics and girls in baby dolls and communication and the arts.
In recent years, brain development research has helped us understand the difference in the behaviour between boys and girls, as well as their preferences. We asked the question: Are there significant differences between a girl’s brain and a boy’s brain? Much of the current research leads us to believe yes, there is!
The most profound difference between the sexes is in the sequence of development of the various brain regions and not in the brain structure. These gender differences in the brain are seen worldwide and are not significantly affected by culture or family circumstances.
MIND SETS
A significant difference is that in girls, the language areas of the brain develop before the areas used for spatial relations and geometry. In boys, it’s the other way around. As a parent of both a boy and girl, it’s important for me to remember this before I fall into the trap of comparing the two!
Girls usually have better listening skills and a more detailed memory. They generally use more areas of the brain for verbal and emotive functioning.
Boys’ brains have larger areas dedicated to spatial and mechanical functioning, on average using only half the space that girls use for verbal and emotive functioning. This is why boys vroom cars across the table and zoom airplanes over your head.
Boys also have lower levels of serotonin and oxytocin (the chemical which promotes human bonding), which leads them to be more physically impulsive and less likely to be happy to just sit and chat, compared to girls.
Baby girls develop the ability to recognise faces at a younger age than boys. Research has shown that baby girls will gaze longer at a face while boys will focus longer on a suspended mobile. When she was just a few months old, my daughter surprised me by turning a teddy bear round to find his face. She also loved looking at photos and pictures of faces. As a baby, my son had not shown the same fascination with faces.
Girls are often better able to multitask, with fewer attention span problems, since the male brain is structured for compartmentalised learning. Boys seem to be better suited for understanding symbols, abstractions, diagrams, pictures and objects moving through space.
Girls have a larger memory storage area, which gives them an advantage in the arts. Their sense of hearing can also be two to four times better developed than the opposite sex. So it makes sense that they are auditory learners, while boys learn by being physically active and can “switch off” if faced with too much verbal explanation.
A HELPING HAND
From birth, babies are born with a huge amount of intrinsic motivation -they are motivated to continue when they see the results of their actions. This starts with understanding that crying will bring Mummy and milk. Parents can help their children remain motivated by:
• Providing an environment which allows them to explore freely.
• Not jumping in to help and providing ample time for persistence, which is vital to enable children to remain motivated.
• Setting clearly defined limits and letting your child be as independent as possible within those limits.
• Finding many opportunities for you and your child to play together. By exploring and interacting together, you provide a model for your child to learn from and you will get to know your child’s current interests and strengths.
Praise and rewards should always be based on the child’s efforts rather than accomplishments. This will encourage him to take on greater challenges rather than stick to a comfort zone.
Understand that each child has individual interests and strengths and know what these are as your child grows and develops. You’ll be able to plan activities that have real appeal when you appreciate the physical differences between boys and girls. There’s a higher chance of success since children become more involved in an activity if they enjoy it. We can also provide activities to further develop areas that may not be as well developed, such as spatial-mechanical understanding in girls. Who’s to say your daughter might not be the next person to land on the moon?
Educational psychologists have found that girls tend to be more concerned with pleasing parents or teachers. I notice that girls want you to offer frequent encouragement while they are working on a task, while boys may be more likely to just get on with it and give you a shout when they are finished. Girls are also more disheartened by negative feedback and failure, which has a bigger impact on their overall self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Boy, on the other hand, are more likely to see their failures as relevant to the specific activity.
ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
As the brain development during your child’s early years is tremendous, your child’s preschool years are very important. Indeed, this initial experience, whether positive or negative, can colour their view of school, learning and their own abilities for many years to come.
The ideal learning environment for young children is one where there is enough space. Little boys who find themselves in a crowded social setting become more aggressive than girls, who do find it easier to adapt. This is often why in those first few months of Nursery One, it is not uncommon to have a little boy who may hit, push or even bite as he struggles to feel comfortable in this new setting. Children need quiet spaces so as not to be over-stimulated.
Studies have shown that learning through movement (kinaesthetic) is more common in boys than girls, which is not surprising given their higher level of physical activity. Boys learn through outdoor projects, constructing, field trips and games. Because of this leaning towards hands-on learning, boys more easily verbalise what they are doing than what they are feeling. The language of boys who are actively engaged in an activity will be richer and more expansive.
The old-fashioned classroom which calls for preschool children to sit still and listen as the teacher instructs often does not allow young boys the physical freedom they need to explore and learn. This can lead to lower self-esteem as they are unable to do what is required of them. A classroom should have a number of activity corners for children to choose from, including a home corner, and include blocks, water and sand play, dress-up, Lego, playdough and painting. Books should be visible and accessible throughout the room. The classroom should include tables as well as space to spread out on the floor.
As females tend to own, manage and staff many preschools, we must keep in mind boys and their style of learning. If you have a boy and are looking for a school, I suggest you ask if there are any male influences in that school, and find out how the teacher manages the more “rambunctious” boys. As well as home corners and dress-up activities, there should be construction toys and space for them to build and create in. Look at the daily schedule. There should be a good balance between focused small group activities and gross motor activities involving movement and hands-on experiences.
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Different Strokes for Different Folks
How boys and girls vary in the way they learn.
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BOYS
- Generally use more of their right brain (the acting and doing half)
- Enjoy brainstorming and practical investigation
- Can thrive in a competitive environment
- Have better developed gross motor skills in preschool years
- The area of the brain used to process feelings is different from the area used to process language
- Good at problem solving, with an emphasis on action
- Kinesthetic learners - learn through active involvement
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GIRLS
- Generally use more of their left brain (the thinking and reasoning half)
- Enjoy listening and discussing ideas
- Can thrive in a cooperative environment
- Have better developed fine motor skills in preschool years
- The area of the brain used to process emotion is also used to process language, so girls can discuss feelings with ease
- Well-developed sense of empathy and emotional intelligence
- Auditory and Visual learners - learn through listening and watching
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Boys and girls learn best when encouraged, motivated and empowered by those around them.
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If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg
- Mother & Baby
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