Gender Gaps in Mathematics and Language: Israel as a Case Study

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 40
  In Roundtable Session: Gender, STEM, and Counterstories In Education

Abstract

This study explores the gender gaps in Mathematics and Reading in Israeli schools. The study delineates the main features and trends of the gender gaps over the last decade in Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking schools. Comparing these two groups offers an opportunity to explore the gender-gap issue in a cross-cultural context, albeit on a small scale. Results reveals that while the gender gaps among the Hebrew speakers is similar to the OECD average in PISA (boys somewhat outperform girls in mathematics and girls outperform boys in reading along all ages, Arabic speaking girls outperform boys remarkably in both reading and mathematics but more in reading. THese patterns are discussed and further ideas developed.

Author

• Joel Rapp, National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation (RAMA) , Israel