– Based on research by experts from the University of Bristol, the charity Save the Children reports that boys are almost twice as likely as girls to fall behind in basic language skills by the time they start school. Preschool boys and girls do the same amount of literacy based activities, such as reading books and using the library, but mothers are more likely to teach the alphabet, do drawing and painting or sing nursery rhymes with their daughters, while sons are more likely to be given sporting activities.

– In 2015 alone, 80,000 boys in England started school having difficulties speaking a full sentence, or following simple instructions. The researchers warned that if this kind of results are repeated, around 1 million boys will be at risk of failure over the next decade. Studies have shown that pupils who struggle in the early years may stay behind in the long term with damaged life chances, employment perspectives and health outcomes. Gareth Jenkins, director of UK Poverty at the charity said it’s unacceptable that, in 2016, “a whole generation of boys is being failed.”

Interesting Story, by Laura Muntz Lyall (Wikipedia)

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