On Gender Differences in English Learning

By Su Xiaoxuan

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

For the B. A. degree

Department of English

School of Languages and Cultures

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

May, 2016

Acknowledgements

Ultimately the thesis has been finished. In addition to my own endeavor, this thesis is inseparable from my teachers, friends and family, who supported and encouraged me when I was in trouble.

At first, I am sincerely thankful for my advisor Ms. Jiang Ping for her meticulous instruction and help. During the thesis writing, she gave me plenty of inspiring ideas. Without her patient modification and valuable advice, this thesis cannot be completed successfully.

I also would like to thank Professor Mr. Zhang Jun and other teachers. I really benefit a lot from them during my university career.

Last but not the least, I want to express my gratitude to my beloved family and friends who have always been standing in my shoes with no complaint.

Contents

1. Introduction 2

2. A Brief Account of Gender Difference 2

3. The Reflection of Gender Differences in English Learning 3

3.1 Gender differences in vocabulary 3

3.2 Gender differences in reading comprehension 4

3.3 Gender differences in oral expression 4

3.4 Gender differences in writing style 5

3.5 Gender differences in learning strategies 5

4. The Causes of Gender Differences in English Learning 5

4.1 Physiological factors 5

4.2 Learning interest 6

4.3 Attitude towards English learning 6

4.4 Personality 7

4.5 Environment 7

5. The Suggestions for Treating Gender Differences in English Learning 7

5.1 The suggestions for teachers 8

5.1.1 Respect the gender difference 8

5.1.2 Teach students in accordance of their gender 8

5.1.3 Enhance the coordination and cooperation between boys and girls 9

5.1.4 Attach importance to the cultivation of learning emotion 10

5.2 The suggestions for students 10

5.2.1 The suggestions for male students 10

5.2.2 The suggestions for female students 11

5.3 The suggestions for parents 13

5.3.1 Cultivate children to set up correct views on gender 13

5.3.2 Help children build confidence of learning 14

6. Conclusion 15

References: 16

On Gender Differences in English Learning

Su Xiaoxuan

Department of English

School of Language and Culture

Nanjing University of Information Science amp; Technology

Abstract: In English learning process, there are some definite relationship between gender role and learning effect. And then the gender difference in language learning has become one of the focuses for linguistic study. The thesis analyzes the reflection of gender differences in English learning from the aspects of vocabulary, reading, speaking, writing and learning strategies etc. Meanwhile, it discusses the causes of gender differences from different aspects, including physiological, personalized, environmental, learning interest and learning attitudinal factors. Furthermore, some suggestions to teachers, students and parents are put forward in order to reduce the influence of gender differences and then to comprehensively improve the English abilities of boy and girl students, even though these suggestions have to be verified in practice.

Key words: English learning; gender differences; reasons; suggestions

摘要：在英语学习阶段，性别角色和学习效果之间有着一定的因果关系和规律。因此，由性别差异而引起的语言使用的差异成为了语言学关注的焦点之一。本文从词汇、阅读、口语、写作以及学习策略等方面分析了英语学习中的性别差异，并探究了产生这些差异的生理、性格、环境、学习情感和学习态度等方面的原因。于此同时，文章分别从教师、学生和家长的立场出发，就如何减少性别差异的影响，全面提升男女学生的英语能力，提出了自己的看法和建议，尽管这些看法还有待于在实践中作进一步验证。

关键词：英语学习；性别差异；原因；建议

1. Introduction

With the deepening of globalization process, mastering English well has become a prerequisite for talents, and many schools pay high attention to it. However, there are apparent differences of English academic achievements between boys and girls in the long-term teaching process. Different gender shows different conception, motivation and self-efficiency in English learning. Girls are apt to have lower levels of intrinsic motivation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, whereas they tend to express a higher level of interest in language, such as English compared with boys. (Nadya A. Fouad, 2010：361) In other words, girls have the advantages over boys in terms of oral expression and language learning. Since gender difference is an objective existence of social phenomenon in language, teachers need to respect for such gender and individual differences. They should adopt appropriate teaching methods to stimulate students’ interests and confidence in English learning. At the same time, special researches should be done to find the intrinsic relationships between gender role and English learning effects, and try to explore and maximize students’ potential of learning English.

2. A Brief Account of Gender Difference

The word “gender” has come into mutual usage especially as a synonym for “sex”. In most instances, especially in casual conversation, the term “gender” and “sex” are used interchangeably and they seem to make little differences.（Milton Diamond, 2002:320）However, compared with “sex”, “gender” is usually conceptualized as a culturally constructed organization of biology and social life into particular ways of doing, thinking and experiencing word. (吴文波，2009:17) Woods describes “gender” as the cultural meaning of “sex”. Gender role are learned or can be affected by other factors, such as education or economic status. They vary widely within or among cultures. (Woods J, 1999:56) Generally speaking, the term “gender difference” applies to the typical difference between men and women that is often specific to a particular culture where domains as careers, communication, health, social awareness and orientation to the environment are seen.

Gender difference in English learning is a significant topic in the branch of linguistics. Michael Gurian had proposed that boys’ brains are “wired” in such a way that language is a more difficult skill for them to acquire and use effectively in learning than it is for girls. (Michael Gurian, 2010:114) In the 1920s, American psychologist Thorndike drew a conclusion from his experiments that girls are more excellent than boys in the aspects of language expression and short-term memory, while boys are better than girls in the aspects of spatial perception, analytical and comprehensive ability, experimental observation and inference. (李立键，2005:1) Furthermore, professor Maccoby from Stanford University and Jacklin from the University of Southern California pointed out that “one of the major factors of obvious gender differences between boys and girls was that girls’ language competence better than boys” in their book The Psychology of Sex Differences(1974).

3. The Reflection of Gender Differences in English Learning

English learning is a complex acquisition process. Academic achievements of English learners are affected by many factors, among which gender difference is one of the significant factors. The impact of gender differences in English learning is mainly embodied the following aspects:

3.1 Gender differences in vocabulary

For English learners, vocabulary learning is the most basic as well as complex. In the choice and memory of vocabulary, girls and boys show obvious differences.

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