Gender Construction In Group Discussion In An Oral English Class

Previous researches on gender and language are devoted to examining the differences of language use between biologically different women and men. According to different perspectives on women'language, the gender and language studies (GLS) are conducted from deficiency approach, dominance approach and two cultures approach, studies within these three approaches are criticized for confusing gender with biological sex, and resulting in reinforcing and exaggerating differences between men and women. Since the 1990s, western scholars began to take on a new constructionist perspective on gender and language, the key of which lies in conceptualization of gender which is not considered as predetermined, rather, it is constructed during everyday interaction between people in specific context. It promotes exploration of language behavior in specific community of practice.This thesis adopts constructionist approach that views gender as a discursive and multi-dimensional concept. In order to obtain sufficient sources of data, I observed three oral English classes enrolled by freshmen in their second semester at OUC for a whole month, videoed several groups'discussions and selected three of them as my linguistic analysis data. I use gender role theory and gender stereotype to try to explore gender performance in group discussion, specifically through analyzing their conversational strategies including turn-taking, use of hedges, questions, smiles and amount of talking, etc. to identify whether their linguistic performances conform to the traditional gender role and stereotype, and how they use them to construct, resist or challenge their gender identity in the context of second language education.Findings indicated in the following:1) Female students show a mix of femininity and masculinity. Specifically, their femininity is shown through frequent use of hedges, questions, laughing and supportive strategies to express their indetermination, affiliation and cooperation. On the other hand, they also betray masculinity by giving directions and expressing requests, doing the majority of talking and controlling the process of discussion. For them, remaining femininity is a strategy to mitigate their dominance and relieve boys from pressure.2) The boys show obvious masculinity in the way that they seldom ask questions and laugh, they do not acknowledge positively towards girl's suggestions even they accept them, and they tend to argue for their own opinions bluntly. Boys also show features of masculinity when they are not in the position of dominance through comparatively high use of hedges, asking questions and less contribution to the task.