Interesting study of boys in Taiwan…
Bill Costello from Making Minds Matter offers these observations from high scoring Taiwan:
American Educational Researcher Abroad Studying Taiwan’s School System
TAIPEI CITY, TAIPEI, TAIWAN (June 30, 2009) - Bill Costello, training
director of Making Minds Matter, has been visiting schools in Taiwan to
research successful aspects of the Taiwanese school system that could be
used to improve the American school system.
Costello said: “Three factors contributed to my understanding of the
Taiwanese education system. First, I read many articles about it. Second,
I visited two Taiwanese public schools wherein I observed common practices
and several subjects, including science, math, language arts, social
studies, physical education, and recess. Third, I interviewed the teachers
and administrators at both schools.”
The Taiwanese education system produces students with some of the highest
test scores in the world in science and math.
In science, Taiwanese fourth graders ranked second in performance compared
to their international peers; eighth graders ranked second; 15-year-olds
ranked fourth. All three ranks represent performances significantly above
international averages.
In math, Taiwanese fourth graders ranked third in performance compared to
their international peers; eighth graders ranked first; 15-year-olds
ranked first. Again, all three ranks represent performances significantly
above international averages.
Costello observed six excellent practices common in Taiwanese public
schools and worth adopting by American schools: 1) serve nutritious
lunches; 2) keep students active; 3) require school uniforms; 4) use
hands-on learning; 5) use interdisciplinary learning; and 6) instill
personal responsibility.
1) Serve nutritious lunches: Unlike the American school lunch, the
Taiwanese school lunch does not consist of processed foods high in fat and
sugar. Instead, it generally consists of rice, soup, meat, fruit, and
vegetables. Studies show that improving nutrition boosts academic
performance.
2) Keep students active: While American schools have cut back or
completely eliminated physical education and recess, Taiwanese schools
provide physical education classes twice a week and ten-minute recess
periods four times a day. Both Taiwanese elementary schools Costello
visited had athletic tracks, which are rare in American elementary
schools. Studies show that increased physical activity leads to higher
academic performance.
3) Require school uniforms: School uniforms are the norm in Taiwanese
public schools; only 15 percent of American public schools require them.
Studies show that school uniforms raise academic performance while
lowering violence, theft, and the negative effects of peer pressure.
4) Use hands-on learning: Costello observed more hands-on learning in the
Taiwanese schools than he has in American schools. For example, the
Taiwanese students went on a field trip to a castle they studied in social
studies; they collected local plants and used them to make a dye in
science; and they worked with compasses and rulers in math. Studies show
that hands-on learning involves students in real-world activities and
thereby improves their academic performance.
5) Use interdisciplinary learning: Based on Costello’s observations,
American teachers tend to teach one curricular discipline at a time while
Taiwanese teachers try to incorporate several into a lesson. For example,
Costello observed a science teacher and art teacher in Taiwan collaborate
in guiding students through a science project that involved drawing.
Studies show that interdisciplinary learning helps students apply their
knowledge in various contexts and thus enhances their academic
performance.
6) Instill personal responsibility: In American schools, janitors clean up
after the students. In Taiwanese schools, the students clean up after
themselves. Cleanup time is a daily ritual wherein Taiwanese students
clean the school building, sweep the school grounds, and dump trash.
Studies show that students who become more responsible tend to improve
their academic performance.
While Taiwanese students earn scores among the highest in the world in
science and math, they do not perform as well in reading.
Taiwanese fourth graders only scored slightly above average in reading
performance on the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy
Study (PIRLS). Taiwanese 15-year-olds only scored average in reading
performance on the most recent Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA).
As an educational researcher, Costello has been trying to understand why
Taiwan has a reading gender gap. “A major problem facing Taiwan is that
boys there do not perform nearly as well as girls in reading.”
Costello goes on to say: “As I observed Taiwanese students learning
language arts, it became clear to me that girls enjoy reading more than
boys. The girls participated more in class discussions about the books
they were reading. When asked, the girls more often indicated that reading
is a pleasurable activity.”
Research shows that students who view reading as a pleasurable activity
tend to read more frequently. Research also shows that reading more
frequently is one of the best ways to improve reading skills.
The average reading score for Taiwanese fourth graders on the most recent
PIRLS was 13 points higher for girls and the average reading score for
Taiwanese 15-year-olds on the most recent PISA was 21 points higher for
girls.
“If something isn’t done to improve boys’ reading skills in Taiwan, then
fewer and fewer boys will continue on to higher education,” explained
Costello.
Ever since 1998, more Taiwanese women have been enrolled in higher
education than men. The proportion of educated women has increased each
year while the proportion of educated men has decreased.
As jobs that require little education have increasingly diminished, more
and more men have become unemployed. Ever since 1996, male unemployment
rates in Taiwan have been significantly higher than those of females. This
unemployment rate gender gap has widened over the years and is partially
responsible for Taiwan’s unemployment rate hitting a record high this
year.
Costello said: “While the Taiwanese education system is excellent, it’s
not perfect. For example, critics say it favors rote memorization over
critical and creative thought, puts too much pressure on students to pass
entrance exams, and relies too much on buxibans-or cram schools-for
educating students. Nonetheless, American schools could improve by
adopting some of the excellent practices used in Taiwanese schools.”
Tags: Taiwan boys
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Clearly, something beyond our individual culture is going on with the disparity between the reading capabilities of boys and girls. We need some kind of normative data. Are girls overachieving? Or are boys underachieving. Either way, that should yield some information on the whys of all this if someone can figure it out. As a male, I have always been a very good and interested reader. I think the turning point for me came one Christmas vacation when I was in the fourth grade. I had read a Rover Boys book earlier and liked it. My teacher had 17 of these, written from about 1900 to 1915 in the back of the classroom. I asked her if I could take them home with me over the holiday and she said yes. Each book was about 300 pages and I read most of them. My reading abilities improved greatly. Years later, she told me that she had no problem with my taking them home because they weren’t hers. They had been in the classroom when they gave it to her!