Advancing gender equity in university- level world language learning in the US: The role of the instructor

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Proponents of critical pedagogy believe that education and society are linked and that existing social, political, and educational systems shape how learners encounter the world. They advocate for critical teaching practices to eliminate cultural biases and to foster an inclusive and socially just environment. This chapter focuses on gender, gender identity, and equity and asks the question of how world language instruction can teach students to make our world more socially inclusive and accepting of our differences by engaging their multilingual and multicultural identities. Results of a university-level instructor survey show that instructors are aware of the importance of gender equity and equitable representation in their teaching practices but that existing textbooks continue to perpetuate gender stereotypes and gender biases whether in the choice of themes or the use of language. Despite extensive teaching experience, most surveyed instructors indicated the need for additional professional development dealing with gender, gender identity, and equity to critically assess classroom material and practices.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationConfronting Challenges in English Language Teacher Education
Subtitle of host publicationGlobal Innovations and Opportunities
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages77-90
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9781040110072
ISBN (Print)9781032623245
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Arts and Humanities
  • General Social Sciences

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