Gender differences in acquiring and retaining gymnastic skills in first graders were studied. Forty-four (44) girls and thirty-two (32) boys (mean age 6.5 years) participated as the experimental group. They were included in the 35-week-long program based on four gymnastic skills. Their performance was measured in three acquisition and two retention phases. The results showed that the girls performed better than the boys. The independent sample t-test showed significant gender differences in the majority of measurements. ANOVA for the retention phases revealed a positive learning transfer only in case of the candlestick element for the boys and in case of the cartwheel element for the girls. The differences found are not considered as a disturbing factor for the coeducational teaching method but just as the guidelines for the PE teachers when making their curricula more appropriate and individually approached.

Education