Teachers' classroom strategies

In her article, Deborah Tannen brings on a case about classroom strategies and its possible inefficiencies as a result of ignorance on the part of educators in recognising how men and women use language differently. She brings up several valid points, such as how men tend to perform better in class participation because they are expected to use language to display their cognitive superiority and challenge others, while women employ conversations for bonding. She further argues that differences in teaching styles may be biased to a specific gender, with male students more comfortable in tearing apart and attacking readings while female students resist any discussion they perceive as hostile and favour open-ended discussions. Through her informal style of writing, doused with her own teaching experience and occasional use of supporting references from prior literature, Tannen made the article not only personal but more justifiable and valid to her target audience. Personally, the article was a joy to read because the experiences she cited, from a student’s perspective, were relatable. However, there were still some general disagreements to be made regarding concept that she was suggesting.

Although it is true that there are differences between genders and their motivations towards the use of language, in my opinion, it has less to do with the essentialist view that classroom participation performance is a result of genders’ intrinsic biological differences. Instead, I deem it more appropriate that differences in classroom participation arise due to a larger cultural context and how students were socially constructed /nurtured. In fact, given the results from her case study, it suffices to say that gender differences is not the sole effect of classroom dynamics, but rather equally important as one’s upbringing and culture (Asians vs. Americans). Albeit she brings up a valid point that classroom strategies should be re-devised to ensure equal opportunities for both genders, she should acknowledge other factors at play. The fact that her one Asian female student who was reticent during normal class participation still continued to be oppressed in small group discussions counters her proposal that classroom strategies could be more effective if educators were to reconstruct them accordingly to how opposite genders interact. Hence, frequent use of small group discussions to facilitate discussions in large classes may not necessarily be effective in encouraging the more subdued and reserved to speak up in class. Instead, I believe that motivations for small group discussion is to allow more efficient exchange of ideas and more intimate discussion of ideas before presentation to the entire class. Furthermore, it is only through resisting notions of inherent gender differences, can we support liberation and a path to gender equality. After all, the education system should not be a breeding ground through which stereotypes are perpetuated, but rather instilling in students the notion that society will not pardon or treat individuals any differently albeit their differences. Although students prefer and hence work better in groups of students with similar styles, enforcing such may cripple students’ development of interpersonal skills as they become accustomed to interacting with people who have more commonalities than differences. Some may also note that her case study and observation of 20 students is not statistically significant and thus, gender differences underlie classroom dynamics may not be concretely proven.

Especially when gender roles are evolving in modern society and female subjugation is less persistent in many parts of the world, it could perhaps be appropriate to reflect in the article that more women are being more outspoken during lessons – an improvement from traditional notions of women bent into submission by men. It will perhaps be apt to instead argue how classroom participation in particular can be improved through lower education systems as well as parents coaching individuals to be more assertive and self-confident in expressing one’s views from young.