Do we train teachers for a more gender-equal society? a comparative study

Özet

\r\n Teachers' gender perceptions influence their classroom behaviors and their attitudes to girls and boys in class respectively. As key factors in educational settings, teachers who have traditional gender role orientations, consciously or unconsciously, contribute to their students' acceptance of socially prescribed gender roles, which are rather dysfunctional. Therefore, it is crucial that teachers are trained to identify and counter gender stereotyping for a more gender-equal society. The present study aimed to investigate and compare the gender role perceptions of senior student teachers from two different departments, namely, English language teaching and Turkish language teaching. The sample for the study was obtained from the education faculty of a large state university in western Turkey. Gender role orientation was assessed with the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI, Bem 1974). Findings seem to have important implications for teacher education institutions in Turkey.\r\n