Promoting

Gender
Equality
Gender-Fair
Language
 Sexism in Language
-The use of language which devalues members of one sex, almost
invariably women, thus foster gender inequality.
Ex. The use of the genetic masculine
Subsuming all humanity in the terms of man,
father, brother, master.

Current Usage Alternative

man human being, human
mankind, men humankind, people
forefather ancestor
layman layperson, non-specialist
manpower human resources, staff,
personnel, labor force
 Sexism in Language
Current Usage Alternative
man-made manufactured,
synthetic,
artificial

early man early people, early

men and
women/human
beings

The Singular Masculine Pronouns “He,” “His,” “Him”

Current Usage Alternative

If a customer has a Customers with complaints

complaint, send him should be sent to the
 Sexism in Language
The Singular Masculine Pronouns “He,” “His,” “Him”

Current Usage Alternative

Each student should All students should bring

bring his notebooks their notebooks to class
to class everyday. everyday.

The handicapped child may Handicapped children may

ay be able to feed himself. be able to feed themselves.

When a reporter cover a When reporters cover

controversial story, he has controversial stories, they
responsibility to present have responsibility to present

both sides of the issue. both sides of the issue.

 Sexism in Language

Terms ending in man to refer to functions that may

be performed by individuals of either sex
Current Usage Alternative
anchorman anchor, anchorperson
businessman business executive,
manager/owner
cameraman camera operator, photo-
grapher, cinematographer
chairman chairperson, chair
congressman representative, member of

congress, legislator
firemen firefighters
 Sexism in Language
Terms ending in man to refer to functions that may
be performed by individuals of either sex
Current Usage Alternative
foreman supervisor
policeman police officer, law enforcer/

officer
salesman salesperson, sales representative,
sales agent
spokesman spokesperson, representative
sportsmen sports enthusiasts
statesmen diplomats, political leaders
watchmen guards
 Gender
Sensitivity and
Equality in the
Educational
Setting
 World Teachers’ Day
Celebration 2011

Theme:
“Teachers for
Gender Equality”
World Teachers’ Day commemorates the
signing of the 1966 and 1997 UNESCO
Recommendations on the Status of Teachers
and Higher Education Teaching Personnel
UNICEF Framework for Rights-Based, Child-Friendly
Educational Systemand School (Shaeffer, 1999)

It is characterized by several essential aspects:

1. inclusive of children;
2. effective for learning;
3. healthy and protective
for all children;
4. gender-sensitive; and
5. involved with children, families
and communities.
Integrating Gender-Fair Principles in Academic Programs,
Policies and Practices (De Guzman, 2007)

Gender Fair Education

An approach that means tailoring teaching to
challenge inequalities and discrimination on the
basis of sex and sexual orientation.

Integrating women’s concerns and issues of

sexism, discrimination, and concepts of human
rights and women’s human rights – in the
academic curriculum.
How School Shortchange Girls?

Some of the findings support the view that girls and

boys have different experiences, even within the
same classroom.

Source: American Association of University Women (AAUW, 1991),

American Mathematical Association, GESA by Dolores A. Grayson and
Mary D. Martin, and the research of David and Myra Sadker
How School Shortchange Girls?

1. Girls receive less teacher’s praise, fewer

remedial comments about their work, and fewer
specific comments about their performance;

2. Boys generally raise their

hands before girls do;
they seem to do so even when
they
do not know the answer;
How School Shortchange Girls?
3. Girls seem to need to weigh

the question, to be sure to

understand it, and to consider

possible responses prior to
seeking recognition;

4. Boys initiate more interactions with teachers than do

girls, so teachers respond more to boys than girls;
How School Shortchange Girls?

5. From preschool through post-secondary education, females receive

less attention from teachers than males. Even when boys
don’t volunteer, teachers are more likely to call on them than girls.
How School Shortchange Girls?

6. When boys call out answers,

teachers usually listen, when girl
speak out loudly, they are often
corrected on their behavior;

7. Girls perform better on tests that

are open-ended in nature like
essay, short answers or perform-
ance assessment, boys perform
better on multiple choice tests.
How School Shortchange Girls?

8. Boys are more apt to participate in extra-

curricular, mathematics, science and computer
activities;

9. Both verbal and sexual harass- ment of girls by boys in

second- ary schools is increasing, indeed,
some forms have almost become
accepted as norms.
Promoting Gender
Sensitivity and Equality in
Educational Institution

Strengthening gender-fair
teaching and learning process

- equal opportunities for

learning
- eliminating gender stereo-
typing, bias, discrimination
and inequality
Promoting Gender
Sensitivity and Equality in
Educational Institution

- consciousness raising on
women empowerment to
see gender discrimination
as unjust and morally
unacceptable,
Teaching Strategies that can
help promote equitable student
participation:
1. Cooperative learning
Teachers should not use
competition as motivational tool.

2. Classroom management
Teachers should not allow one
or two students to dominate in
the class.
Teaching Strategies that can
help promote equitable student
participation:

2. Classroom management
 calling all students, whether

their hands are up or not,

 interacting more with students

in small groups or individual,
rather than in whole class
discussions,
Teaching Strategies that can
help promote equitable
student participation:

3. Hands-on learning
Practice in using estimating skills help students to undestand that problems can
have more than one correct answer. Student respond well to problems with
practical applications that allow creative problem solving and that relate to real
world experiences.
Teaching Strategies that can
help promote equitable student
participation:

4. Career Guidance

Help students explore all

vocational interests, not only
those traditionally associated
with their gender.
Teaching Strategies that can
help promote equitable student
participation:

5. Libraries

The school library should have books about the contributions of women in
science, mathema-tics and technology. It should also update materials to replace
biased, stereotypic resource materials.
Eliminate Teacher’s Biased Behavior

1. Take the idea of equity seriously; for

example, do not put down male or
female students, or joke about their
abilities, roles and background;

2. Use non-biased language, do not refer to

all doctors as “he” or nurses or
secretaries as “she”;
Eliminate Teacher’s Biased Behavior

3. Avoid comparison of students based

on gender, for example do not say that
“female students are working harder than
males;

4. Give equitable attention to all males and

females, do not show preference for any
one group over the other.
Eliminate Teacher’s Biased Behavior

5. Act as model of non - biased behavior by

performing activities traditionally thought to
be more easily done by the other gender;

6. Allow all students to show their

emotion without regard to
gender;
Eliminate Teacher’s Biased Behavior

7. Encourage students to treat

each other as equal;

8. In bulletin board, visual materials must be non-biased,

showing men and women in a variety of roles which
reflect the many interest of all females and males;
Eliminate Teacher’s Biased Behavior

9. Assign classroom chores, and other

duties regardless of gender;

10. When the treatment of either men or women is inadequate

in a text book, provide supplemenatary
materials readily available for students;