6. Topic: Discrimination
Title: Closing the Gap
(Adapted from Thumbs Down, Canadian Teachers' Federation, November 1990).
Level: Intermediate
Outcomes:
1. To consider the concept of gender stereotyping and the influence it has on interpersonal relationships.
2. To examine representations of males and females in media such as television programs and movies.
3. To consider ways to redress inappropriate stereotyping.
Curriculum Connections:
Strategies and Activities:
1. Ask students to work in small groups to focus on gender roles by completing lists beginning with the following statements:
People think boys are ..........
People think girls are .........
NOTE: To focus students on the activity and to assist with generating ideas, the following headings may be useful: sports, entertainment, professions/trades, household/family-related activities, (other headings can be added).
Display the lists and discuss them. Students may consider the pressures or influences that causes males and females to act in the ways they do. They may also discuss the repercussions to individuals who choose to act differently from others.
2. Divide the class into pairs and have them choose (or assign) a television program -soap, sitcom, cartoon, or a movie to view. Have students record examples of gender roles and note whether they are stereotypical or not. They could look for themes such as who is the boss, who makes most of the decisions, who is protected by whom, who is dependent or independent, what kinds of emotions are expressed by males, by females?
Ask students to summarize the sex-role messages in the examples they reviewed.
Implications for Teaching/Learning:
As follow-up or means of evaluation, ask students to collect examples from literature (those currently being studied in language could be used), from newspapers or magazines which
1) depict stereotyping, or
2) which profile males and/or females in non-traditional or increasing more accepted roles.