The sexist teachers!
Stereotypes mean boys don’t get enough praise for reading and girls’ achievements in maths are ignored
TEACHERS are ignoring the achievements of boys in reading and girls in maths due to subconscious bias, research shows.
A study found teachers were likely to underrate children because of their gender even when they got the same test scores as their peers.
Experts said the findings showed sexist stereotypes persist in the classroom and could have a negative impact on pupils’ aspirations.
They said many school staff still allowed their judgment to be clouded by the belief that boys are better at maths and girls are better at reading. While national statistics have shown that girls are on average less likely to take maths A-level and boys are less likely to enjoy reading, a large number of pupils buck these trends.
Tammy Campbell of University College London’s Institute of Education said inequalities were being perpetuated at an early age by teachers and could hold back pupils for the rest of their lives. ‘Teachers are looking at emerging patterns and then over-extrapolating,’ she said.
‘The stereotypes are not as true as the teachers believe. It’s unfair on the pupils who are bucking the trends, and not receiving the recognition for it. It can also affect their long-term attainment, especially if they are put into a lower-ability group.’
The research involved examining information about nearly 5,000 seven-year- olds in English state schools who are being followed by the Millennium Cohort Study – an ongoing project looking at those born between September 2000 and January 2002.
Miss Campbell compared teachers’ perceptions of the pupils’ reading and maths ability with their scores on standardised assessments, which were carried out by survey interviewers during home visits.
The perceptions were measured using a questionnaire which asked teachers to rate pupils out of five on a scale of ‘well above average’ to ‘well below average’.
Boys were more likely to be judged above average in maths than girls who had scored equally well on cognitive tests. By contrast, girls were more likely to be judged above average in reading than equally able boys.
These findings are important as teachers’ reports make up a considerable proportion of children’s overall scores up to age 11.
Previous research has indicated that teachers’ perceptions of pupils can influence their everyday interactions in the classroom.
Miss Campbell added: ‘These findings show that there are factors affecting attainment, as evaluated by teachers, which are outside of children’s and parents’ control.
‘Unless they are addressed, they may continue to play a part in creating and perpetuating inequalities.’
The study, published in the Cam- bridge University Press Journal of Social Policy, follows increasing worries over gender bias in education.
Particular concerns have been raised over the low proportion of girls studying maths and science subjects as A-levels or degrees.
A recent study by the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development found girls ‘lack selfconfidence’ in their ability to solve maths and science problems.
Recent research suggests earning potential can be significantly higher for those studying degree subjects such as engineering, which requires an A-level in maths.