Dr. James Brown’s Odyssey for Equality for boys in our schools takes him to the UK.

Does anyone see a connection? (11)

The more parents talk to their children, the faster those children’s vocabularies grow and the better their intelligence develops. Research shows that parents speak to their young daughters far more than they do to their young sons. Girls’ vocabulary is often more advanced than boys’ vocabulary when they start school. Does anyone see a connection?

Does anyone see a connection? (12)

A decade-long study looked at how and how much families conversed at home. The results showed a close correlation between the number of words children’s parents had spoken to them by the time they were three and their academic success at the age of nine. Parents speak to their young daughters more than they do to their young sons. Does anyone see a connection?

Does anyone see a connection? (13)

At age three, some children have heard 30 million more words than some others. Research has shown that the number one predictor of a child’s long-term success at school is what the child already has when they start school. Does anyone see a connection?

Does anyone see a connection? (14)

On the one hand, the research strongly suggests that starting school earlier has little effect on this gap. On the other, it suggests that providing parents with information and tools about the importance
of speaking to their babies can make a significant difference. The education system has shown a great deal of interest in having children start school at an earlier age, but a great deal of resistance
to providing out reach programmes with information and tools for parents. Does anyone see a connection?

Does anyone see a connection? (15)

Encouraging parents to read to their children at a very early age has been shown to be very beneficial. Research has also shown that from a very early age, children are most interested in stories in which they can gender-identify with the main character. Ninety-five per cent of the books published for young children are pitched at girls. Parents who want to buy books for their sons cannot find any. Girls start school with a language advantage over boys. Does anyone see the connection?