TEACHER BEHAVIOR TOWARD BOYS AND GIRLS DURING FIRST GRADE READING INSTRUCTION.

The article presents a study on 238 first-grade children's perceptions of interactions, as reported by questionnaire-interviews; and actual teacher-student interaction, and measured by a Reading Observation Record, to determine whether teachers discriminated against boys. Obtained data were treated by use of chi-square and analysis of variance procedures. In addition, reading achievement scores of boys and girls were compared. Results indicated that children perceived that teachers discriminated against boys and favored girls in the situation of reading instruction. On the other hand, an analysis of observations of actual teacher-pupil interaction revealed no differential treatment. Boys' and girls' achievement did not differ significantly.