It was with great interest that I read this article from ScienceDaily about gender differences in language processing. It seems that with the aid of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) researchers have shown there are biological differences in how males and females (at least ages 9 to 15 year olds) process language. Males in the study relied on the brain’s visual connection when reading words and the auditory part of the brain when hearing words read aloud. In contrast, females “showed significantly greater activation in language areas of the brain than boys” and there was a correlation between this activation and the accuracy of their performance.
The article implies that, because males process language through a more sensory mode and not as abstractly as females, we should be teaching and assessing the two genders differently. Related to this I have found in my classroom:
- When giving directions orally I use concise instructions for males and elaborate for females.
- When using the computers for instructions, I have the males type their summary and the females verbalize their findings.
- When giving written tests, I permit males to ask questions during the test which allows me to prompt them whereas females rarely need a prompt.
So, what have you found in your classroom?
