Helping Boys and Girls Learn – Differences in Learning.

Boys and girls learn differently according to research. The fact of the matter is that their brains are wired differently.

Of course, there are differences between how boys and girls learn and though there may be some exceptions to the rule, boys tend to learn better from images and through watching physical movements. Girls benefit from solving problems and working with each other to find solutions.

By understanding the differences in learning parents can help their child make the most of their efforts in school and also outside. Understanding this also helps parents recognize behavior that could be problematic.

For instance, girls tend to be better at languages and while boys are often lagging behind in English or languages, they may be well ahead in maths and sciences. This explains why boys like Lego and puzzles and girls like tasks that involve communication.

One other major sign of difference is the way boys and girls behave after school. Girls tend to enjoy talking about their day, while boys resist the need to. For both though, thought is that children need time to relax after school and so doing homework directly afterwards tends to not be ideal. This should be a time for exercise and to let out the stresses of the day and also just get some fresh air. It helps children recharge and approach homework in the best manner.

Here are some tips for creating a better learning environment for boys and girls at home.

Boys
• Encourage them to perform spurts of homework. For example half an hour of work and half an hour of play tend to work well.
• Study can be fun. For example, throw a ball to each other when spelling words. Making study fun by encouraging activity in a child can be a good way to keep them interested.
• Creative ways to stay focused include reading while walking on a treadmill or working from a balance ball.
• Boys tend to be less organised than girls, so try and encourage it by learning how to organize together.

Girls
• Girls don’t tend to be as interested in puzzles as boys. However, you should purchase some construction toys, puzzles and blocks and encourage her to use them.
• Girls like to talk, so encourage that. Talk to her and encourage her to talk through any problems or issues she has at school. Alternatively, if she doesn’t want to talk, ask her to write about her issues.
• We all do maths every day and can help children in their knowledge by pointing out every day concepts. For example when slicing a pizza try and encourage the use of fractions. It can help children grasp concepts a lot easier.
• Encourage her to use computer programs
• Promote exercise and encourage girls to take part in more active play like football and basketball. This can really help with motor skills.
Children require all sorts of different approaches to keep them interested and intrigued and these will help ensure that they get the very best.