Pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man, a study has claimed. Male teachers are more likely to improve pupils' self-esteem and are judged by pupils to be more fair, according to a study published by the Department for Education.
But there is a significant shortage of male teachers, especially in primary schools, with reports last month indicating that almost one in three primaries has an all-female teaching staff. The latest figures heightened fears that schools are becoming dominated (主宰) by women and children are being denied access to male role models in the classroom.
Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment in which each of 1,200 pupils in 29 schools was given £2. They could use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions at a cost of 20p each, which they then had to answer. If they were right they were given an extra 20p, but if they were wrong they lost 20p. Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women, indicating that they had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort, the the study said.
Researchers wrote: "One of the most significant results featured in this experiment is the positive effect of male teachers on effort. The experiment suggests that higher ability pupils either believed that the teacher would reward them more favorably or had a preference for working hard to please the teacher."
According to the Good Teacher Training Guide, 86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female, along with 62 per cent of those entering secondary schools.
Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: "This is an interesting and somewhat surprising finding, but it does underline the importance of having a good mix of male and female teachers in classes."
小题1:Which of the following is true of the passage?
A．Male teachers are more fair than female teachers.
B．Now most primary schools are in need of teachers.
C．Most people are afraid that their children can't get access to male teachers.
D．The author thinks that male teachers are better than female teachers.小题2:What is the author's attitude to the finding that pupils work harder in lessons if they are taught by a man?
A．He is for the finding.
B．He is against the finding.
C．He doesn't show his opinion about it.
D．He thinks it’s interesting and somewhat surprising.小题3:What does the author mainly tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
A．Researchers at the London School of Economics and Westminster University conducted an experiment.
B．Students co
uld use the money to "buy" up to 10 questions and then had to answer them.
C．Boys and girls who had a male teacher chose on average almost half a question more than those taught by women.
D．The experiment shows that students taught by male teachers had a more positive outlook on the rewards of effort.小题4:It can be inferred that .
A．one third of primaries has an all female staff
B．if a student is taught by a man teacher, he will think that if he works harder he will make greater progress
C．86 per cent of new teachers entering primary schools are female
D．this finding is interesting and surprising小题5:Where can we find the passage?
A．It is from a PE section on the Internet.
B．It is from an educational magazine.
C．It comes from the social section of a newspaper.
D．It comes from an English teaching book.
