A British government study says teaching boys and girls separately in some subjects can help them concentrate better and score higher marks.
Single-sex classes at coed schools will help overcome the "laddish anti-learning" culture of boys, who feel the need to show off in front of girls, the Independent reported Monday, citing the Cambridge University study done for the Department for Education.
The department sponsored the study because it had found girls outperforming boys. The study warned, however, badly planned single-sex initiatives can actually make boys' "macho" behavior worse.
"Many girls and boys feel more comfortable in single-sex classes because of the lack of distraction of the other sex and feel more able to ... take part in discussion without fear of ridicule or embarrassment," the study said.
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