Zoo-phonics will close your classroom's gender gap

Research finds that boys are slipping behind girls on almost all academic milestones. The latest NAEP writing assessments (2007) show boys scoring an average 20 points lower than girls. For those in low economic areas or who are special education students, the chasm is even larger.

The results reveal how crucial the early years of school are in laying the foundation to reduce this discrepancy.

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According to Michael Gurlan's research...

Boys’ brains are “wired” in such a way that language is a more difficult skill for them to acquire and use effectively in learning than it is for girls.

Early-childhood language activities must be paired with movement and or the use of manipulatives.

Boys are more dependent on pictures, diagrams and graphs.

Girls write, read, and speak more words than males.

The teacher must engage boys by appealing to their “competitive energy” through physical movement and manipulation of physical objects, and games.

This is exactly what Zoo-phonics does best. It uses pictorial mnemonics (animal letters), body movements (signal) and teaches through physical games and activities. It makes an abstract skill (language) concrete and playful. No longer are boys left behind in early education language arts lessons!

References:
Gurian, M. & Stevens, K., The Mind of Boys, Saving our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers (2005)
Gurian, M. & Ballew, A., The Boys and Girls Learn Differently Action Guide for Teachers, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers (2003)