First I noticed that in my boyfriend's class in special education there is only one girl. I'm in the gifted program and yes there are boys but the girls outnumber the boys. Lets say two babies are born. One is a girl and one is a boy. Why should one grow up with a learning disability and the other grow up and be normal in all ways. Now he's a really great guy but he has a problem with concentration and processing information. He's really very smart and we often sit together and read poetry or we like to read the same book and discuss it after. With me he can concentrate really well. Ive been told that males and females have different brains. I guess that means they think differently. Someday I want to marry him and I want ALL our children to take after their dad.
2006-10-16 13:49:12 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Special Education
My husband and I are in the same boat. I was in gifted classes (also more girls than boys) and he didn't do well in school. He is ADD as all get out and had a terrible time in school- and he is creative, smart, and all that, but was never identified as gifted. Children can be creative (which ADD/H kids generally are) but this isn't how most classes are structured, so that gift may not be nurtured.
Please remember special education doesn't mean that a person isn't smart. In fact, to be learning disabled, you typically have average intelligence or better, with a deficit in a specific skill area (and the deficit may not even be that severe, it depends on where you are). There are lots of gifted LD people out there.
Boys tend to get identified for special needs because teachers look for more issues with boys, especially if they act out. A girl may have academic problems, but because she is quiet, she doesn't get identified. I likely could have qualified with a math learning disability, but was never identified, and I struggled the entire way through.
The female brain tends to be more verbal, which is a more prized skill in gifted classes (and in school in general). Girls start verbally reasoning sooner than boys developmentally, so they have more practice by the time school starts. There are some environmental reasons for this- think about playing with dolls and tea parties, and boy play tends to be action based.
2006-10-16 14:38:51 · answer #1 · answered by Twin momma as of 11/11 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I work in a school with three special education classes (one gifted, one behavioural, and one Developmentally Delayed). In all three of the classes, the boys outnumber the girls- even in the gifted class. I'm not saying that there are more boys than girls in special ed across the board, but in my school, that's the way it is.
2006-10-16 20:54:50 · answer #2 · answered by Mandy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One theorized cause may come from having bigger heads. Some states use to screen every first born male child. Smaller opening larger head leads to more complicated delivery along with this theory comes stat that more males are born then females. Do not think you can make to general a statement from your experience, because know of at least one situation were the direct opposite is true.
2006-10-16 21:51:56 · answer #3 · answered by Mister2-15-2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was with some other moms and we were discussing this very issue.All of us have kids in SPED, 2 are boys and there was 1 girl.It seems according to some studies that girls seem to not be as vocal as boys.They keep things in more.Where as boys, just let it all out.I know in my case, my son definitely lets it all out regardless of what the issue is.
I'm not saying I agree or disagree.I'm just saying its research that has supposedly been done.Who knows.
2006-10-18 08:11:03 · answer #4 · answered by vze4h35z@verizon.net 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that a lot of time it is a matter of the effort put forth in school. There are people in Special Ed who may have no place in it - people who are simply unmotivated or "have ADHD." I put "have ADHD" in quotes because I think it's often overdiagnosed.
A lot of schools lack structured programs for identifying students of either persuasion.
2006-10-16 20:53:25 · answer #5 · answered by Mee 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many kids are labled with a learning disability when they are really gifted too!http://www.nswagtc.org.au/info/articles/PittelkowCAPD.html
http://www.wayne.edu/DDI/READ/ADHDandGiftedness.PDF
here are some articles on special ed and boys:
2006-10-18 00:48:54 · answer #6 · answered by atheleticman_fan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋