Sex Differences in Knowledge of Letter and Number Names in Kindergarten

Abstract

A study of the learning of letter and number names prior to the onset of formal instruction in kindergarten indicated that there are sex differences not only in the rate of learning but in the components of learning. There is a tendency, reported earlier by Gates (1939), for all children to either know the names of most letters and numbers or know only a few. Further, boys had learned their number names at least as well as girls while girls knew significantly more letter names than did boys. These findings exemplify the importance of developmental factors in learning to read which should be taken into account in the teaching of beginning reading.