Abigail James has made an extensive study of cognitive gender differences and examined how that knowledge can best be applied to practices in teaching boys and girls. In this work, she examines how girls' unique sensory, physical, cognitive, and emotional systems affect their performance in the classroom, and provides specific suggestions for how teachers can use that information to benefit girls either in single-sex or co-ed settings.



In particular, the book focuses on math and science instruction, since women are under-represented in these courses at the university level and in related fields, despite current incentives for female students to select math, science, or engineering majors. A large part of the problem, it seems, is that math and science classes are simply not taught in ways that complement the female brain. James shows teachers how to incorporate research-based findings and adapt classroom experiences to assist girls' learning, within the best standards of classroom instruction.