Gender Inequality in Foreign Language Teaching

Language and gender are always the focus in the field of foreign language teaching since modern times.In the 1970s,after the occurrence of women status and language theory model proposed by Lakoff,the research on the field of language gender difference begin to develop prosperously and present in a multilevel and interdisciplinary way.Since then,the research on the field of gender and language gradually expand into the teaching area especially in foreign language teaching.And gender has also become an significant variable in the field.This paper aims to find out the reason why gender inequality occurs in foreign language teaching.To understand the factors causing this tendency,a questionnaire is also designed to find out teachers’perception of the relevant gender issues in the foreign language classroom and of their own gender-differentiated treatment of boys and girls.The following three questions are to be explored in the research.(1)In what way do teachers give boys or girls more attention,more opportunities to participate in the English class?(2)What role do teachers’gender-specific practice play in students’language learning?(3)Girls have better command of English because they are better bestowed than boys or because they are expected to.It is believed that teachers are reliable agent in foreign language teaching,if equipped with proper gender equity training.Attempts should be made by some parties such as Education Department,normal universities,to tackle this problem as to offer both boys and girls an optimal foreign language learning experience.