Home key to schooling

Gender theory debunked

GIRLS from disadvantaged backgrounds read better than boys in similar circumstances, new research shows.

But boys from high socioeconomic homes perform better in numeracy than their female counterparts.

The new research found neither gender had an “overall edge” in the classroom.

Dr Julie Moschion, from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research, said the study debunked claims that “boys are just better at school than girls or vice versa”.

“Boys don’t just have something in their brain that makes them better at numeracy,” she said. “The differential socioeconomic backgrounds probably contributes to that gender gap.

“This research is important because if there are differences in gender results that are created by the environment or different practices then we could address them to give boys and girls equal chances.”

The study analysed data from the grade three standardised tests of the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children.

It showed boys from high socio-economic backgrounds benefited more from preschool and Catholic schools than girls.

The research, published in the Journal of Population Economics, also traced the girls’ superior literacy skills to before they started school, promoting calls for parents to read to their sons more.

Victorian Principals Association president Anne-Maree Kliman said children not read to at home were “behind the eight ball” in the classroom.

“Because of their low socioeconomic background there may not be the tools in their home, like books and puzzles, that develop pre-reading and pre-literacy skills,” she said.

Meanwhile, Australian parents believe themselves illequipped to help their children complete high school maths.

This is despite the major role maths will play in the jobs of the future, new research has found.

The 2017 Westpac Numeracy Study found 25 per cent of parents would not be comfortable helping a child complete high school maths while 49 per cent worried their lack of maths skills would negatively impact their children.

The Lonergan Researchpowered survey of more than 1500 Australian adults and children also found those with a university level of maths education were more likely to be satisfied in their career and financial situation, and earn about $30,000 a year more on average than those who only completed Year 10 maths.

Despite the financial benefits, participation in Year 12 level maths has steadily declined in recent years.