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13Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences Scientific Journal Impact Factor Advanced Sciences Index Factor
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VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 3 ISSN 2181-1784 SJIF 2022: 5.947 ASI Factor = 1.7
THE EFFECT OF GENDER, AGE AND CLASS ON CONVERSATIONAL INTERACTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Dealing with another language is not always considered to be ordinary process due to the majority of factors affecting the learning case and the work-system of brain. Actually, it is no use doubting that learning language, apart from mother tongue, is mostly influenced by many factors like non-linguistic. Moreover there is a background point that female and male's brain system, respectively memory system differintiate on foreign language acquisition making the learning process more pivotal, parallel according to the gender, strategic and filling the gaps with negative and positive effects. So language acquisition is highly influenced by two parallel factors: age and gender.
Keywords: Gender, Age, Language Learning, Variablity, Critical Period, Foreign Language, Sample
Работа с другим языком не всегда считается обычным процессом из-за большинства факторов, влияющих на процесс обучения и работу системы мозга. На самом деле, нет смысла сомневаться в том, что на изучение языка, помимо родного, больше всего влияют многие факторы, в том числе и неязыковые. Более того, есть исходный пункт, что женская и мужская мозговая система, соответственно, система памяти различаются при усвоении иностранного языка, что делает процесс обучения более важным, параллельным в зависимости от пола, стратегическим и заполняющим пробелы отрицательными и положительными эффектами. Таким образом, на овладение языком сильно влияют два параллельных фактора: возраст и пол.
Ключевые слова: пол, возраст, изучение языка, вариативность, критический период, иностранный язык, выборка.
INTRODUCTION
The study aims to analyze and investigate the influences of gender and age on foreign language acquisition and analyze basic differences between both genders and
all ages choosing English as foreign language.
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Muhayyo Makhmudovna Shaymardanova
Uzbekistan State World Languages University Ranakhon Akmalovna Khodjieva
Uzbekistan State World Languages University
ABSTRACT
АННОТАЦИЯ
Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences Scientific Journal Impact Factor Advanced Sciences Index Factor
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In this research, as participants the students at primary and secondary schools together with students and teachers at UZSWLU are variable.
Mixed methods of data collection were chosen for this study (questionnaire and interview). Five basic questions and five background questions which analyzing gender and age differences were sort for questionnaire section. The interview section consists of five questions taking into consideration the opinions of twenty students and two teachers.
The results of this research show the difficulties that students are facing through language learning and problems according to different genders and different ages; in which it directs the use of proper methods by teachers on the process of teaching foreign language.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Many past studies about analyzing and investigating the influences of gender and age on foreign language acquisition and analyzing basic differences between both genders and all ages choosing English as foreign language are done by the majority of researchers. So, here the literature is reviewed reflecting background of researcher's work. In the general sense, the notions "sex" or/and "gender" are perceived to be synonymous and in some studies, they are used interchangeably. The definition of sex or/and gender in Cobuild's English Dictionary (1995) is as follows: Sex (excluding other meanings) is considered as the groups of male and female, into which people and animals are divided according to the function they achieve in producing young. Moreover, the sex of a person or animal is the characteristic of their being either a male or a female. However, gender is explained as the fact that they are male or female, and one can refer to all male and female people as a particular gender. Additionally, in grammar, the gender of a noun, pronoun or adjective is whether masculine, feminine or neuter. Furthermore, the term "gender" is given to distinguish people by their socio-cultural behaviour and the term "sex" refers to the biological differentiation among male and female (Ford, 1995; Holmes, 2001; and Sunderland, 1994). There are some past studies about gender, that left a trace on learning the English language; as Boyle (1987) performed his study on 490 Chinese university students (257 male and 233 female) in Hong Kong. He found that females have more ability in learning the second language than males. In addition, Burstall (1975) believed that female is better than male in learning English. He proved this through performing a study on (6,000) children in England who studying English in their primary schools. In contrast, there are other studies by Ford et al. (1988), which
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have largely proven that no important difference exists among male and female in terms of their oral ability. Conversely, Ehrman and Oxford (1995) discovered that female learners use a number of strategies in learning a foreign language; as previously, Oxford and Nyikos (1989) have reached the same conclusion as well; as this could be an obvious reason behind their flexibility toward any new language they are learning. Additionally, Block (2002:53) argued that "in this model, women are perceived to perform their 'women-ness' in an ethnomethodological from as they continually negotiate their position of relative powerlessness Vis a Vis men". Age is considered as another dimension of the research paper; a variable age of the learner is constantly considered in relation to target language; Ellis (1985), Harley (2000), Singleton and Lengyel (1995), and Todd et al. (2000) explained that how age has effect on learning target language. Moreover, Ellis investigated variable of ages into two factors; one is the apparent ease with which variable could be measured as opposed to another variable, and other is the need to reinforcement that commonly held belief that young learners are better than adults in learning the English language. According to many researchers; however, held belief may not be supported by experimental studies, each of Cook (1986) (1996), Ellis (1985), Mrinova Todd et al. (2000), and Marshal and Snow (2001) illustrated the case. According to some linguists, the advocators of the critical period hypothesis are continual claims that children are better than adults in learning a foreign language (Cook, 1996 and Mrinova Todd et al., 2000). Recently, Moyer (2004) identified that biological age is one of the most significant approaches to learning language acquisition. Furthermore, biological age should be related to social and psychological elements, which the learners have experienced. Additionally, she obtained this data in her study on the accent of (25) immigrants to Germany. Moreover, Fathman (1975) in his study found that (11-15) years old are better in learning English than (6-10) years old in respect to (pronunciation, morphology, and syntax). By contrast, in their studies, Light Brown and Spada (2006) assert that elder children and youthful ones make more improvements than younger learners. Likewise, Singleton (1978) has some proofs on age effects on learning a second language. Singleton supposed that the elder the child is the more effective s/he will be engaged in learning. On the other hand, Snow et al. (1994) believed that teenagers are generally the best learners. In contrast, after nine months of instructing in French, Ervin-Tripp (1994) found that (7-9) years old are better than (4-6) years old in regard to (comprehension, imitation, and conversation). In previous studies concerning the issue, it had been concluded that psychological type seems to have a powerful effect on the way the learners use language learning
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strategies and Nationality also has influences in learning a language (Oxford, 1990). Lately, it had been found out that European students can perform better in learning a language than students of other nationalities, particularly in concern to strategies that relate to vocabulary, reading, interaction with others, and the learner's ambiguity (Griffiths and Parr, 2000). Furthermore, the study had been conducted on (15) European students, their competence toward a new language worked at way higher than students of other nationalities.
METHODOLOGY
For the current research two available methods are chosen as data collection on the purpose of getting trustworthy data and information. By using quantitative method (questionnaire) and qualitative method (interview), we try to solve the problems on the acquisition problems affected by gender and age points. In this research, as participants the students at primary and secondary schools together with students and teachers at UZSWLU are variable (all 12 ). Mixed methods of data collection were chosen for this study (questionnaire and interview). Five basic questions and five background questions which analyzing gender and age differences were sort for questionnaire section. The interview section consists of five questions taking into consideration the opinions of twenty students and two teachers.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire part consists of two stages: 1 - five background questions about gender and age and 2- five basic questions about the impact of gender and age on learning foreign language. All the questions are sorted taking into consideration the participants' suggestions and opinions. Two choices are given for the participants. " Yes " and " No " answers should be chosen as proper version. (appendix 1) There may have been " Neutral" choice, but this answer does not reflect any tone of interest to the stage of method. Also it could occur avoiding punctuality for the questionnaire. In order to tackle problems connected to language acquisition, yes, no forms are available than other options.
By collecting data through participants this kind of method, interview is used at the second stage as generally a qualitative research technique which involves asking open-ended questions to converse with respondents and collect elicit data. (appendix 2) Mixed respondents-different ages and different genders are asked to represent their opinions based on questions covering the research and feel free to interact in quiet atmosphere. Five basic well instructed questions are given to the interviews.
Interview
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Data analysis
Regarding different levels of respondents, the presentation of difficulties that students are facing through language learning and problems according to different genders and different ages in which it directs the use of proper methods by teachers on the process of teaching foreign language is discussed. As previously indicated, Questionnaire part consists of two stages: 1 - five background questions about gender and age and 2- five basic questions about the impact of gender and age on learning foreign language. All the questions are sorted taking into
consideration the participants' suggestions and opinions. From general gender view: female and male - 67 % give "yes" answer while 33 % give " no " answer to the first stage of data collection, respectively. As it has been indicated, in the second stage of data collection mixed respondents-different ages and different genders are asked to represent their opinions based on questions covering the research and feel free to interact in quiet atmosphere giving answers to five basic well instructed questions. Additionally, twenty students and two teachers are interviewed asking based on open ended questions about the difficulties that students are facing through language learning and problems according to different genders and different ages. 78 % of respondents are firm on their views that female and male's brain system, respectively memory system differentiate on foreign language acquisition making the learning process more pivotal, parallel according to the gender, strategic and filling the gaps with negative and positive effects. While 22% of interviewers do not have any option on this problematic situation. There is misunderstanding situation that mostly male variables spoke less than the other gender.
CONCLUSION
This research studied the age and gender troubles and difficulties in studying a language as a overseas language. currently, how each of age and gender has influences on LL (Language learning). The findings of this take a look at replied the studies questions, as this research supposed to find out the problems and difficulties; and some answers and pointers were given. the solution to the first research questions, Which gender is better in acquiring the language?", the end result of the questionnaire suggests that male learners are higher than woman. As for the second query, What age is convenient for gaining knowledge of English as a foreign language?, the result of the questionnaire observed that kids are higher as they have got extra potential in studying the English language than adults. What is usually recommended for destiny researchers, to take care about, is the purpose in the back of every individual studying
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of a language? Whether or not they want to learn simply to pass exams and gain a degree, they need to talk with that language, or they need to analyze it for a specific business. furthermore, psychological and social barriers should be taken into attention in overseas language training for a higher end result. And sooner or later, man or woman differences have to be accounted and ought to be reputable, as each thinks in a different way. It's miles surprisingly endorsed that these forms of studies have to be carried out in other center eastern nations and specifically on blended gender training. Furthermore, one-of-a-kind methods and techniques of coaching need to be developed to do away with the obstacles between students inside the field of mastering. except, similarly workshops and seminars have to be achieved to help students psychologically and avoid that archaic questioning which lady have to talk less. At last however not least, it's miles very essential to work on parents' position to comply with-up and compare the level of their children in English. Appendices
Appendix 1.
Questions Yes No
1- Adult learners learn faster than children in learning English. 2- The pre-puberty learner is better in learning a language than post-puberty. 3- Adult learners are better in learning a language than younger. 4- Older learners are more successful than younger in learning the English language. 5- The barrier of anxiety sometimes makes the adult less successful in learning the language. 6- Female learners achieve the language easier than male learners. 7- Male learners are more
Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences Scientific Journal Impact Factor Advanced Sciences Index Factor
instrumentally motivated to learn a language than the female learner. 8- Society has effect in learning the language. 9- Female have more ability in learning the English language than male. 10-Psychological problem of learner has an effect on learning the language.
Appendix 2.
Interview questions
(1) Is it necessary to learn about English cultures to speak English?
(2) Does gender of the teacher have an effect on learning the English language? If so how?
(3) Which type of gender is better in learning the English language? And why?
(4) Do you believe that children are better in learning the English language? And why?
(5) Do parents motivate their daughter(s) or son(s) to learn the English language?
REFERENCES
1. Abdul Settar, R., Daghir, A. and Ridha, A. (2010) Investigating the Relationship between Learner's Gender, Proficiency and Language Learning Strategies: The Case of EFL Iraqi Learners, Journal of the College of Arts, 53, 32-56
2. Aslan, O. (2009) The Role of Gender and Language Learning Strategies in Learning English, Thesis submitted to the graduate school of social sciences of the middle east technical university
3. Bernat, E. and Lloyd, R. (2007) Exploring the Gender Effect on EFL Learners' Beliefs about Language Learning, Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, 7, 79-91
4. Bista, B. (2009). Age as an Affective Factor in Second Language Acquisition. Retrieved in 2016, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/7753203/Age-as-an-AffectiveFactor-in-Second-Language-Acquisition.
Bley-Vroman, R. (1989). What is the Logical Problem of Foreign Language
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