English teaching and the influence of gender

Equal oppurtunities for boys and girls are mentioned as important in all steering documents for the Swedish school system. Despite this, there are indications that gender inequalities exist. The aim of this study is to look at gender patterns in connection to the teaching and learning of English as a second language and how these might create inequalities between boys and girls, especially with regard to learning and results. The empirical material used for this study is based on interviews with five English teachers and questionnaires answered by 128 students in an upper secondary school in the province of Norrbotten, Sweden. The main focus is on teachers’ and students’ experiences and thoughts about gender-related issues in the teaching and learning of English. Although the study is limited, it nevertheless gives an indication of what reality looks like. The results show that there are gender differences in attitude as well as in behavior in relation to English as a school subject. The main findings are that girls find the subject more interesting, the material more appealing and put more effort into studying while boys are more self- confident and value their own knowledge higher. These gender differences are likely to have affects on learning and results.Validerat; 20101217 (root