Gender

1. Gender What question would you like to ask these people? DO NOT CHOOSE THE OBVIOUS QUESTION http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDswiT87oo8

3. Let’s look at your answers… • Can we identify any gender stereotyping in the answers you have given? • Let’s guess the gender of the people asking the question? • Can we link these ideas to any gender theories?

4. Today we will • Consider what will be expected of you in the exam • Analyse a conversation and explore what it shows about Language and Gender in terms of contextualisation • Plan a response to an exam question.

5. Homework • To write a 10 minute response using your plans. We will check through it on Friday against the exam scheme.

6. Language and Gender and the Exam • As you know … • There are two sections to the exam: • Section A: Text Varieties (Ms Appleby) • Section B: Language and Social Contexts (me) • Answer Question 1 from Section A and either Question 2 (gender) or Question 3 (power) or Question 4 (technology) from Section B.

7. The Question • Text C is a transcript of a conversation between three speakers: Joan, Nina and Tom. As part of a research project they have been asked to discuss a picture of a house on the French coast. • Comment on the significance of gender in this interaction. You should refer in detail to the text and to relevant ideas from language study. You may wish to consider some of the following: • the language choices of the speakers; • the relationship between the speakers; • the effects of context.

8. In your groups of four divide the roles of Joan, Nina and Tom. The fourth person will act as an observer and record the interactions on their phones. • You have three minutes to re-create this conversation, using the rules of the transcript. Aim to read it 4 times in the three minutes. Key: (.) indicates a brief pause. • Numbers within brackets indicate length of pause in seconds. • Underlining indicates emphasis in speech. • Words between vertical lines are spoken simultaneously. • Other contextual information is in italics in square brackets.

9. What’s the context? • The talk is obviously affected by context – it’s a specific activity rather than spontaneous talk. This may affect language choices and behaviour of the interlocutors. • How might this exchange differ if it were in a workplace? • If it were a group of boys? • A group of girls? • Use your notes if necessary

10. Initial Observations You have two minutes to record your personal observations about the person you were reading in the conversation

11. Building up your analysis Now find another person who has studied the same character as you. You each have one minute to share your findings and add more detail to your own initial observations.

12. Go back to your group. • Now each person should take it in turns to feedback on what they have observed about their character. • This will give you the opportunity to develop your own annotations

13. Lakoff and the features of female language – how might you be able to apply any of her findings to this data? Does any of the data not conform to Lakoff’s findings? Empty adjectives? Hedges Intensifiers (speaking in italics) Speak less frequently Linking to the theory

14. Look back to the information sheet given last lesson, which of these findings might be relevant to your data? Linking to conversational theory

15. 10 minute planning task • Comment on the significance of gender in this interaction. You should refer in detail to the text and to relevant ideas from language study. You may wish to consider some of the following: • the language choices of the speakers; • the relationship between the speakers; • the effects of context.

16. What would you ask these people if you were being assessed by an English Language examiner? Finally