Differences in speaking ability among boys and girls in the classroom

Context: The study took place in a teacher training institution in Nigeria, where the researcher observed poor participation in speaking activities among her English language students. The students, aged 17-22, had a limited background in English, as they primarily communicated in their mother tongue. This situation led to the researcher's concern about the differences in speaking abilities between male and female students. Aims: The main aim was to explore the reasons behind the differences in speaking abilities between male and female learners in the classroom. The researcher sought to understand how boys and girls participated in speaking activities, the challenges they faced, and the types of speaking activities they preferred. Additionally, she aimed to identify effective strategies to improve their speaking skills and boost their confidence. Methods: The researcher employed a combination of qualitative methods over a three-week period, including maintaining a teaching journal, classroom observations, and conducting focus group interviews with 15 students and 13 colleagues. She used reflective notes to record her observations and analyse the different speaking activities preferred by boys and girls. The study concluded with a series of structured speaking activities, such as pair conversations, debates, and pronunciation exercises, followed by an evaluation through focus groups and questionnaires. Findings: The study revealed that boys were more affected by difficulties in speaking than girls, particularly in pronunciation and grammar due to the influence of their mother tongue. Boys preferred interactive activities like debates, role plays, and conversations in pairs, which helped them feel more confident. Girls generally performed better in speaking activities, as they were more composed and less afraid of making mistakes. The findings highlighted that socio-economic background and lack of exposure contributed to these differences in speaking abilities. Implications: Teachers might consider incorporating more interactive and supportive speaking activities that cater to the preferences of male students, such as debates and role plays, to boost their confidence. Additionally, focusing on pronunciation and grammar could help alleviate the boys' fear of making mistakes. Teachers may also benefit from creating a classroom environment that encourages participation without fear of mockery, as this was shown to significantly improve students' willingness to speak.

Keywords (free text)

english as a foreign language, gender differences, speaking activities, language learning, student confidence, pronunciation challenges, exploratory action research

Permanent link to cite this item

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14069/757

Collections

Exploring Gender in the African Classroom