Letters; April/May 2008; Scientific American Mind; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

I was surprised that the design of math and science curricula was not addressed in the article "Sex, Math and Scientific Achievement," by Diane F. Halpern, Camilla P. Benbow, David C. Geary, Ruben C. Gur, Janet Shibley Hyde and Morton Ann Gernsbacher. Traditionally, instruction in these fields has almost exclusively used a method of thought and communication that appeals more strongly to males than females.

Your article raised the issue of differing visuospatial skills between genders. It may not be the case that male minds more easily grasp the information being disseminated; it is possible that how this information is presented can make a difference in skill sets. Males have dominated the fields of science and math for centuries, and the manner in which they have undertaken research, compiled educational texts and designed curricula has affected how children are taught this information and, therefore, how they respond to it.