Gifted Girls and Gifted Boys

How do they compare?

Gifted Girls and Gifted Boys

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Gifted Boys Vs Gifted Girls

Resources

"Gifted girls are like chameleons" -Silverman "Gifted Boys are like Sponges"

Statistics of Gifted Students in the United States

Gifted Boys

Gifted girls

• Boys are more likely to get tagged for gifted testing and instruction due to their outward traits and patterns, such as: attention seeking, annoying others, demonstrating leadership, or withdrawing.

• Girls are less likely to get tagged for gifted, especially as they progress through pre-teen and teen years. They are more likely to fall into the pressures of peer groups.

Gifted Boys

Gifted girls

• "There is very little ability grouping in the elementary through middle school years, so even when the high school offers higher level classes for the most intelligent and advanced students, many extroverted gifted boys will refuse to leave their buddies behind." (Ruf)

• Girls need acceleration before age 8, otherwise, they could fall into societal and gender norms, which can create self-doubt or inferiority when it comes to TAG identification and testing.

Gifted Boys

Gifted girls

• ​Boys often face challenges in educational settings due to societal and cultural expectations that affect their academic engagement and discipline. Studies have shown that teachers may have lower expectations for boys' academic performance and behavior. This can lead to boys receiving less support in developing communication and organizational skills, potentially hindering their academic progress and future opportunities.

• Girls, due to cultural and societal expectations, are perceived to be less intelligent, and it can also affect how they are perceived as adults. They also do not have equal opportunities to gain recognition.

Gifted Boys

Gifted girls

• Boys often struggle to fit into the educational system because it emphasizes verbal skills and sedentary learning, which may not align with their need for physical activity. This mismatch contributes to the overdiagnosis of ADHD.

• Girls are more likely to fit into the educational system better than boys and tend to have an easier time with the structure of the educational system.

Gifted Boys

Gifted girls

Even though gifted boys and girls have many differences, one thing is common for both students in the classroom: The classroom dynamic is not always challenging enough or the environment doesn't fit their needs. They may also deal with behavioral factors as well.

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Strategies

Engaging Gifted Boys in New Literacies

strategies for Underacheiving Gifted Girls

Pratical Pedagogies for Gifted Girls

Proposed Strategies for Gifted Boys

• Create opportunities for and encourage girls to debate, ask questions, and push back on information. Model for gifted girls that differences are accepted and celebrated. Discuss what it means to be gifted and what it means to be a gifted female in today’s society. Celebrate your gifted girl’s unique strengths and encourage her to explore her talents.

• Lessons that require motor activity or competition can encourage boys to succeed in the classroom.
• Use speaking and listening in teaching reading Bring more creativity and variety to reading and writing curricula
• Use less lecture and more spatial and diagrammatic lessons Include books high on action Use bibliotherapy to address affective needs

• Incorporate digital platforms like interactive e-books, audiobooks, and online discussion forums.
• Use video games, graphic novels, and digital storytelling apps to connect reading with boys' interests.
• Provide books on topics boys are naturally drawn to, such as sports, science, history, or technology.

• Talk about turning mistakes into opportunities
• Read books with strong female characters
• Encourage Risks
• Try Something New
• Be a Role Model

Resources

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Super Awesome Stuff!

• Ruf, D. L. (2023, October 18). Personality, Gender, and School Behaviors. Davidson Institute . https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/personality-gender-and-school-behaviors/

• Silverman, L. K. (2013, April 22). What Happens to Gifted Girls? https://lahjakkaatlapset.fi/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/what-happens-to-gifted-girls.pdf
• https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/personality-gender-and-school-behaviors/
• https://www.familyeducation.com/kids/development/emotional/why-boys-struggle-school
• https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/04/boys-school-challenges-recommendations#:~:text=The%20reasons%20for%20that%20are,%5BPDF%2C%20401KB%5D).
• https://marcolearning.com/teacher-bias-the-elephant-in-the-classroom/#:~:text=DISCRIMINATION%20AGAINST%20BOYS%20IN%20SCHOOL,discriminating%20against%20boys%20in%20school.

thanks!