Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Christopher Sclafani

Second Advisor

Dr. Richard Caputo

Third Advisor

Dr. Shaireen Rasheed

Abstract

Gender disparities in literacy persist across the globe, shaping academic and career opportunities in profound ways. Despite advances in educational research and interventions, boys continue to trail their female counterparts in literacy from an early age, and this gap persists. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in students’ self-perception, academic practice in literacy-based tasks, and enjoyment of these activities. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed. Participants included students in Grades 3–12 from international sites in the United States, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, recruited through convenience and purposive sampling based on site access and school approval. These nations share a post-colonial influence through the English language in their education. The initial sample was N = 1,269; after exclusions, the valid sample was N = 1,244. Gender analyses used an analytic N = 1,229 (female n = 640; male n = 589). Survey responses were collected using a five-point Likert-type self-report instrument adapted from Sclafani and Wickes (2017). Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 29.0.2.0; IBM Corp., 2023), including MANOVA, ANOVA, and DFA. Results revealed statistically significant multivariate gender effects across enjoyment, self-perception, and academic practice, with girls reporting higher enjoyment (p < .001), stronger self-perceptions (p < .001), and greater engagement in academic practice (p < .001) than boys. These findings underscore the persistent literacy gender gap and highlight implications for equitable access and opportunity. They also support targeted, gender-responsive approaches—such as systematic phonics instruction, guided oral reading, student agency in text selection, and multimodal instructional models—to remediate disparities and expand opportunities for all students. Results indicated significant gender differences in literacy enjoyment and self-perception favoring female students, with modest differences in academic practice and a statistically significant but modest discriminant function (Wilks’ Λ = .939, p < .001).

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