The article describes an approach to teaching foreign languages, taking into account gender characteristics, and considers the possibility of creating maximum conditions for self-realization and disclosure of abilities in teaching foreign languages.
Keywords: gender characteristics, gender education, new approaches to teaching foreign languages.
В статье описывается подход к обучению иностранным языкам с учетом гендерных особенностей и рассматривается возможность создания максимальных условий для самореализации и раскрытия способностей при обучении иностранным языкам.
Ключевые слова: гендерные особенности, гендерное образование, новые подходы к обучению иностранным языкам.
Recent years, language and gender have been a growing area of study among researchers.
The development of gender education is becoming an integral component of building a democratic, tolerant society. Despite some achievements in this area, much remains to be done. Sometimes gender is still perceived as an analogue of sex, and, speaking of gender education, methodologists continue to mean sex education.
Gender differences due to social and cultural factors are one of the interesting phenomena in our contemporary society. Their influence can be seen not only in political life, where women fight for their political rights, or in households, where women fight to reduce household harassment. The debate about gender differences actually exists in the use of language to communicate, emphasizing that men and women are different in their ways of communicating and should therefore be treated differently.
However, it should be emphasized that the true essence of gender education lies in the formation of a worldview capable of accepting the possibility of the existence of equal, partnership relations, laying the foundations for an individual choice of their own life model, independent of the cultural and historical practices of the past, and focused on those moral patterns, the existence of which can be called eternal regardless of the interests of which social group (gender, race, ethnicity, etc.) they represent.
Thus, the goal of the gender approach in education is to deconstruct the traditional cultural restrictions on the development of personal potential depending on gender, to comprehend and create conditions for maximum self-realization and disclosure of the abilities of both female students and boys in the process of pedagogical interaction, an effective methodological solution of which, in turn, can undoubtedly be the use of interactive teaching methods [1,217].
This discourse has been heatedly and creatively discussed since Lakoff (1976) and Tannen (1990) in their study highlighted the concept of female language, which emphasizes the existence of differences between men and women in communication [2,185]. One of the characteristics of feminine language is a greater propensity for women to use lexical hedges or fillers (e.g., you know, like, you know), tag questions (she's really cute, isn't she?), rising intonation in declarative forms (that's really good), empty adjectives (divine, charming, cute), precise color terms (purple, aquamarine), intensifiers (just, so), hypercorrect grammar (consistent use of standard verb forms), super polite forms (indirect requests, euphemisms), avoiding strong swear words (fudge, my God) and emphatic stress.
In the field of English language teaching, in which female and male students interact with each other using English for their communication, problems caused by differences in language use between men and women may be affecting. Some scientists examined the strong relationship between gender differences and learning styles and found that «men are more likely than women to prefer an abstract, conceptual mode of learning». Other ones found that «girls have better reading comprehension, read more often, and have a more positive attitude towards reading and school». This shows that men and women have different learning styles, which can be influenced by language differences. This article will also look at how gender differences in language and communication influence students' strategies for learning English.
From the points mentioned above, it can be seen that female and male students have different strategies in learning English. Both girls and boys were limited by their perception of their colleagues. Female students, for example, did not want to talk to male students because they thought men were arrogant. Conversely, male students were reluctant to speak English with female students due to girls being easily offended. Other reasons, in both women and men, were mainly due to their self-confidence when speaking. They were not confident in their knowledge of the English language, and therefore were ashamed to make mistakes, especially in front of different sexes. This resulted in less freedom to express their English language abilities.
However, the data showed that more women were reluctant to speak English with members of different genders, 85 % of women compared to 50 % of men. Women who spoke English to members of the same sex were more effective than women who spoke English to members of the opposite sex. Conversely, men speaking with either the same or a different gender would not incur any difference (30 %). In fact, they could enjoy socializing with women (20 %).
This shows that gender differences influence the tendency of female and male students to speak with members of different genders. The reluctance of female students to talk to representatives of different sexes indicates that they are not self-confident. This can have a significant impact on students' freedom to speak English. Less freedom made them less powerful, demonstrating their inferior position.
Another fact that distinguishes female and male students in learning English is their tendency to be active or silent in English lessons. This is very important in English lessons, as their strong activity in the classroom will greatly contribute to their English language skills, especially spoken language. The study showed that there are more female students than male students who like to be silent (80 % compared to 15 %). Conversely, 60 % of male students liked to be active. This shows the activity of young men and the passivity of female students in learning English. According to research, the activity of male students was influenced by their need to know and do more, to show ambitions and aspirations like men, or to show off. In fact, they thought it was their nature to be active. Conversely, women's passivity was mainly affected by their less self-confidence as women. In the literature on language and gender, activity or passivity is one of the characteristics that distinguish male and female communication styles.
The term «gender», as is known, reflects the social, cultural, psychological and other characteristics of the relationship between the sexes, their statuses, special interests, requests, needs, strategies. Gender is characterized as a «complex socio-cultural construct», which includes role, behavioral, mental and emotional differences between men and women [3]. Gender, understood as an organized model of social relations between the sexes within the framework of the main institutions of society, is one of the basic indicators of social structures and, at the same time, an indicator of their development or underdevelopment.
A gender approach means such an organization of the educational process that provides children with self-actualization with their inherent individual characteristics and assimilate social experience that ensures their successful socialization in society and social identification based on gender. The purpose of the gender approach to education is to promote the formation and preservation of the unique individuality of each child's personality. As modern studies show, the problem of gender differences is inextricably linked with verbal behavior that affects the effectiveness of learning.
As an example of the successful implementation of a gender approach, we can offer the development of tasks in English using interactive teaching methods within the framework of the topic «Career» («Employment») in the discipline «Business English» for 3rd year students.
The content of tasks in this subject aims to:
– development of critical thinking among students;
– formation of skills to solve various problems, both in the field of professional activity and in practical life situations;
– increase in social and political activity, level of citizenship, interest in political life.
Practical sessions give students the opportunity to try themselves as participants in real life situations, skillfully modeled in exercises and role-playing games, which helps them to better understand the origin and influence on our lives of stereotypes about the preferences, opportunities and responsibilities of women (girls) and men (boys) and draw the necessary conclusions.
Discussion of introductory questions on the topic:
– Are you ambitious? Why or why not?
– Do you have a career plan? Where do you want to be in 10 years?
– Which of the following areas would you like to work in? Why?
– What needs to be done to move up the career ladder?
In your opinion, which of the following factors are important for getting a job? Select the seven most important. Is there something missing from the list?
– age; sex; appearance; astrological sign; contacts and communications; an experience; family; handwriting; hobbies; intelligence; family status; personality; qualification.
Introductory exercise «Stereotypes», giving everyone the opportunity to express their opinion about the stereotypes associated with «female» and «male» professions (Stereotypes of work). All participants speak in turn [2]. Then, students are offered authentic texts on the topic of introductory reading, concerning the issues of hiring women for the traditionally “male” job of an electric train driver); the loyalty of their employees to the organization; what to do when selecting a candidate for a vacant position; How to balance career and family. Students answer questions about the texts, express their opinion and discuss it. As a task to complete, we can offer a role-playing game related to problems, reflecting real life situations.
Based on the results of this study, EFL teachers can better understand the relationship between strategy use and success in the target language and focus their teaching on the specific strategies that more successful students use when learning English. Moreover, by seeing the difference between men and women in terms of using the strategy, teachers can develop strategy instruction and conduct strategy training accordingly to help them learn English better.
References:
- Кирилина А., Томская М. Лингвистические гендерные исследования // Отечественные записки. Журнал для медленного чтения. М.: Высшая школа экономики, 2012, p.217.
- Lakoff, R. T. 1976. Language and Woman's Place. New York: Octagon Books, p 185.
- Stanton, A. 2001. Men and Women in Conversation: Finding a Way to Bridge the Gap,University of Massachusets.
- http://www.healthandage.com/public/health-center/28/article/1284/Men-and-Women-in-Conversation-Finding-a-Way.html Accessed 10 July 2008.
