OER 3 Language and gender: learning and equality in participation

3.2 School leaders – Activity 2

Gender-responsive language

The words we use can transmit positive messages that support learning, or negative messages that inhibit learning. For example:

• A teacher tells a group of misbehaving boys they are ‘useless and empty-headed’.
• A teacher, in frustration says to a girl who is not performing well, ‘why are you here?’ and ‘your family is wasting money’.

Such messages can have an impact on academic performance and willingness to participate.

Gender-responsive language treats boys and girls as equal partners and provides a supportive learning environment for everyone.

Try out these activities with teachers:

1. Analyse the language of the teaching and learning resources being used this week. From a gender perspective, is any of it negative? If so, how can we change it?

a. Read the chart on classroom language and gender-responsive practices.

Gender-responsive language practices	Examples of Gender-biased language	Examples of Gender-responsive language
Use both pronouns (he or she; her or his)	When everyone contributes his own ideas, the discussion will be a success	When everyone contributes her or his own ideas, the discussion will be a success
Use the plural instead of singular	If a student studies hard, he will succeed	Students will succeed if they study hard
Recast a sentence in the passive voice	Each student should hand in his paper promptly	Papers should be handed in promptly
Recast the sentence to avoid using the indefinite pronoun	Does everybody have his book?	Do all of you have your books?
Create gender balance or neutrality in labels or titles	Mankind Man's achievements All men are created equal The best man for the job Chairman Businessman Congressman Policeman Head master	Humankind, human beings, people Human achievements All people are created equal The best person for the job Chair, head, Chairperson Business executive, manager, businessperson Congressional representative Police officer Head teacher

(Uworwabayeho, A. et al. (2018) cited in FAWE, 2020, p. 46)

b. Arrange informal listening observations of classrooms.

You can:

1. informally listen in to teachers’ lessons and give feedback.
2. have teachers pair up and give feedback to each other.
3. ask two students to listen and informally report back to the teacher.

Now read the brief research summary below, about professional feedback to women and men:

Actionable feedback: different for men and women?

Research in 2021 based on computerised analysis of more than one-thousand pieces of written feedback to political leaders in the UK identified that feedback given to women tends to be less actionable and less effective than feedback given to men. Women were encouraged to ‘cope’ and ‘get along’ and be tolerant. Men were encouraged to be assertive, ‘claim their leadership space’ and display their confidence. Women’s lack of confidence was seen as an inherent flaw, without actionable advice on how to change this.

Analyse your own professional feedback to teachers.

1. Do you give some of these messages unintentionally?
2. Do you think teachers’ feedback to students might give these messages to girls and boys?

Constructive actionable feedback focuses on what can be improved, not what is wrong. Such feedback is based on observed and specific knowledge, skills or behaviour.