The math gap between boys and girls appears just four months after starting school

Boys and girls who reach primary school have similar math skills at the beginning of their schooling, yet it has been proven that over time, a gap develops in favor of boys, which influences their performance and participation in class, compared to those of their female peers. This phenomenon, known as the math gender gap, appears around age six and is attributed to cultural stereotypes and educational practices that can reinforce inequalities and provoke anxiety from a very early age.

Although efforts to measure the math gap have already been made in the United States and Europe, a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature involving more than 2.7 million students in France reveals a worrying fact that could be applied to other European countries: the math gap between boys and girls doesn’t exist upon school entry, but increases rapidly just four months after starting school, reaching 0.20 in the first grade of primary school and quadrupling during the second year, regardless of family, class, type of school, or socioeconomic status. “Gender disparities in maths are thought to primarily reflect an internalization of the sociocultural stereotype that ‘girls are bad at maths.’ However, where, when and how widely this stereotype becomes entrenched remains uncertain,” notes Pauline Martinot, co-author of the study.

Martinot and her team spent four years investigating the math gap—from 2018 to 2021—and they provide some valuable insights into understanding what happens during the early years of schooling. First, the gender gap increases with schooling more than with age, suggesting that the school environment and teaching methods play a crucial role in its development. What the researchers mention in this regard is striking. During school closures due to the Covid pandemic, the gap slowed, reinforcing the hypothesis of the role played by the school environment.

Secondly, there are the sociocultural factors that often associate boys with mathematics end up affecting girls’ performance and confidence. “The mathematical abilities of girls and boys are similar,” notes Marta Macho-Stadler, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of the Basque Country who was not involved in this study. “This has been said for a long time and has to do with the belief that mathematics requires special brilliance,” she explains. She adds: “Culturally, boys are told they are brilliant, while girls are told that everything they achieve is through effort. This makes you end up believing you are not clever and puts even more pressure on you.”

Another finding of the study indicates that the results were repeated annually and that the gender gap in mathematics is universal, although surprisingly, it is more pronounced in families and schools of higher socioeconomic status. “Our hypothesis suggests that gender stereotypes and high expectations for girls in higher-income environments could have a greater impact on their performance in mathematics, compared to families from lower socioeconomic levels,” responds Martinot. The gender gap in mathematics varies by country and educational level. In Spain, for example, the difference in mathematics between male and female students in the fourth grade was 18 points, according to the TIMSS 2023 report, with a difference of 507 points versus 489. In 2020, researchers from the University of Zaragoza published a study in which they analyzed the opinions of approximately 2,000 students from first to sixth grade. The study found that 75% of boys and 55% of girls considered themselves good at math, and the gap increased as students got older.

The French researcher identifies several school practices that can contribute to the early emergence of these inequalities, which she identifies as “traditional teaching” of the subject. “For example, timed tests, competitive exams, and innovative assessments (such as the number line, where many errors are possible) are associated with a growing and more pronounced gender gap in mathematics,” she explains. “I think we shouldn’t look for culprits, but rather for solutions, and to do that, we need to identify what can interfere with or cause this gap to begin with,” says Macho-Stadler.

Anxiety in girls and teachers

The study indicates that girls tend to experience more math anxiety than their male counterparts, especially in competitive or timed tests. The resulting anxiety can negatively impact their performance and increase the gap between themselves and their peers. But they are not alone. The research also highlights the math anxiety of teachers themselves, the majority of whom are primary school teachers, which affects girls’ performance, while boys are not as affected by this phenomenon. The researchers recommend working on this issue to reduce the generalized anxiety that the subject can produce. “It is essential to reinforce essential skills such as confidence, self-esteem, stress management, and emotions, in addition to promoting exercises that strengthen resistance to external pressure,” Martinot points out.

“More research on how we can help teachers and students understand that everyone is capable of doing math would be beneficial,” Jodie Hunter, a researcher at Massey University’s Institute of Education in New Zealand, told SMC.

Martinot indicates that the problem must be addressed early on from different perspectives: at home and at school. “Parents and adults around children ages 0 to 6 should teach and play with both genders equally, and it is essential for teachers to overcome their fear or anxiety about math, modify their formal teaching methods, and equally encourage the performance of boys and girls,” explains Martinot.

It sounds simple, but it isn’t. The expert proposes a paradigm shift that challenges the entire society and challenges some deep-rooted stereotypes, including among young children. “It is key to reflect on how to interact equitably in class, emphasize effort over results, and highlight female role models in math and science. Parents should encourage curiosity and logical thinking in boys and girls alike, avoid phrases like ‘girls are less logical or boys are better at math,’ play logic games with both genders, and help reduce math anxiety in girls at an early age,” the expert explains.

In this regard, the French researcher is clear. “We need to reinforce the idea that intelligence is built through effort in both boys and girls, and normalize mistakes as part of learning, preventing girls from interpreting them as a sign of incompetence,” she states. “When a girl is validated in the classroom, everyone around her is also validated, and that boosts her confidence,” adds Macho-Stadler.

These experts agree on the importance of eradicating the mathematics gap from a young age to reverse the shortage of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as the STEM sector. “This reinforcement could have significant effects both academically and on their personal and professional development when choosing a university major,” says Macho-Stadler. Currently, women only represent 35% of students pursuing STEM degrees worldwide, according to UNESCO data.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition