The importance of self-assessed oral and written language ability for boys' and girls' grades in school

• This study focuses on the way in which the self-assessed reading, writing and oral abilities of pupils – both boys and girls – predict grades in different subjects at compulsory school. The supporting material for this study is a survey, conducted to 6,788 pupils in school year 9 (aged 15-16) of Swedish compulsory school in 2003. The results show that the three literacy skills – reading, writing and oral ability – do predict the grades but that the weighting is slightly different in the various subjects. In Swedish it is the self-assessed ability to write that primarily predicts the grade, while, in the other theoretical subjects, it is the pupil’s self-assessed reading ability that is predominant. There is a significant difference between how boys and girls assess their reading, writing and oral abilities. Girls demonstrate greater confidence in their ability to read and write. Boys, who feel that they have good oral ability, are at a disadvantage both in English and mathematics.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

self-assessing literacy skills - reading

writing and oral ability

gender

grades

Education

Pedagogik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)