Addressing
Gender Equality with Teaching Strategies
The best educational
environments are those that are fair to all students, male or female.
But in many places
around the world, female and male students do not always have the same chances
for a good education. In today’s teaching tips, we will discuss
supporting gender equality in the classroom. We also will discuss how
to create a more equal and balanced learning environment.
Helping future
generations
The United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says access to a
good education is important for getting out of poverty.
An educated individual
is more likely to grow up healthy and have more opportunities for employment.
This increases their chance of raising healthy children, and supporting them to
also get an education. When all students, both male and female, have equal
access to educational opportunities, the results impact future
generations.
Creating more equal
educational opportunities for students begins in the classroom and with the
teacher. A strong teacher is one who treats their students fairly and creates
an environment where students feel equally able to take part.
1. Tips for learning
environments
Teachers can create the
appearance of gender bias through unintentional, nonverbal
actions. The first step to correcting this problem is to organize your
classroom in a way that makes all students feel equal.
- Establish rules
It is important for a
teacher to establish a set of rules from the very beginning that promote
equality. An effective way to do this is to create class rules with students.
Ask students to suggest ideas for how to keep an equal and respectful
classroom.
This permits the
teacher to point to the rules as something that the whole class has agreed on.
It is important to include rules that deal with respecting students, respecting
the teacher and participating in class.
- Have a classroom seating plan that
supports equal participation.
If you find that
certain students, regardless of their gender, are not participating in class,
try to change your class seating plan. For example, try having students who
usually sit in the back come to the front.
Teachers tend to
interact the most with students sitting closest to them. For this reason, it is
important to change the seating order (if possible) to give all students a
chance to sit near the teacher.
- Have equal academic and behavior
expectations for all students
Teachers should try to
avoid making things easier for either male or female students by giving them
easier questions in class, or trying to solve things for the students.
Doing this can create
the perception that certain students are not as smart as
others. Teachers should hold the same expectations of all students.
- Use group work
Often there will be
some students, male or female, who are not comfortable speaking in front of
large classes. But, they may feel more comfortable speaking in small groups. In
order to give all students the opportunity to take part in class, try doing some
activities in small groups of three to four students.
2. Tips for classroom
strategies
After organizing your
class in a way that promotes equality, the next step is to consider the effects
of your actions in class.
- Addressing students equally
One of the main
opportunities students have to participate in class is when they are answering
teachers’ questions. Teachers need to call on or talk to both female and male
students in a balanced way. Research shows that both male and female teachers
often call on male students to speak in class more often than female students.
- Provide enough wait time to answer
questions.
Some students, male or
female, may need time to think about the answer to a question when called on by
a teacher. When calling on students who seem to wait longer to answer a
question, make sure to give students at least four to five seconds. Research
shows that giving students more time to answer will increase the number of
students who participate.
- Use gender neutral language
Sometimes in English
people use male pronouns when referring to a group. But, this can make female
students feel left out. Teachers should use gender neutral pronouns
whenever possible. One example is, instead of saying “guys” when referring to a
class or group (which is common in American English), say “everybody” or
“everyone.”
- Body language
Teachers may not
realize that their body language with female students might be different from
what it is with male students.
Whenever male or female
students are talking, use respectful, listening body language. Face the
listener, do not walk away, and do not interrupt students.
Also the teacher can
move to different areas of the classroom while speaking. This is important
because students sitting further from the teacher tend to participate less.
- Discipline
Be aware when male
students insult female students, or female students insult male students.
If the insults appear
to be gender-based, students may be discouraged from participating in class in
the future. Be quick to intervene and discipline the students making insults.
This shows students of either gender that they will be supported.
However it is important
that both male and female students are given the same discipline for
the same actions.
These strategies will
help teachers create a more equal classroom environment for their students.
They will also help teachers effectively manage their classrooms. Remember: The
best form of teaching is the fairest form of teaching!
Reference:
·
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/promoting-gender-equality-with-teaching-strategies/3986846.html
· http://cte.virginia.edu/resources/teaching-a-diverse-student-body-practical-strategies-for-enhancing-our-students-learning/gender-dynamics-in-the-classroom/teaching-to-promote-gender-equality/
