Open AccessTeacher Power and Gender in the Classroom Discourse of EFL Teacher Educators: Insights from a case study
Author(s) -
Reda Elmabruk,
Nesrin Etarhuni
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
mağallaẗ kulliyyaẗ al-ādāb
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2664-1682
pISSN - 2664-1674
DOI - 10.36602/faj.2021.n18.04
Subject(s) - psychology , coercion (linguistics) , power (physics) , context (archaeology) , politeness , criticism , pedagogy , social psychology , mathematics education , political science , linguistics , paleontology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics , law , biology
How Teacher Power (TP) is exerted impacts affective learning and class participation. This mixed-method case-study research explores TP and the role of gender in a Libyan EFL Teacher Education context. Classroom discourse is analysed to determine the scale of Teacher Power Strategies (TPS) manipulated by both male and female educators with respect to Pro-social Teacher Power (PTP) and Anti-social Teacher Power (ATP). Six teacher educators (three males and three females) have been observed over 18 lectures involving 47 second-semester students. How the student teachers perceive and react to TP is explored through focus group interviews. The findings reveal interesting gender differences in the application of anti and pro-social power; the males’ TP ratio (2.3:1) is much greater than the females’ (1.5:1) who display far less ATP, e.g. command power, with zero criticism and zero coercion; PTP is distinguished by politeness and compliment; “command softening”, mitigated power and lowered anxiety. The students tolerate teachers’ command, interruption, questioning for pedagogic reasons; cases of unwarranted coercion and unconstructive criticism are met with silent protest. In conclusion, a balance of power is deemed essential in fostering students’ well-being, promoting a relaxed stress-free atmosphere, and facilitating active student participation.