The Effect of Gender on the Perception of Pre-Service Teachers towards their Instructors and Students

Abstract

This study examines the attitude of pre-service teachers towards the gender of their instructors and students at schools during the practicum in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. This study is motivated by the observation that gender is a salient factor influencing the communicative behaviour of the pre-service teachers during their practicum. For the purpose of this study, twenty pre-service teachers from Al Ain University were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The results reveal that female pre-service teachers prefer female instructors for religious and cultural reasons, and female school students because they are well-disciplined and polite. For male pre-service teachers, the majority had no preference for gender concerning their school students, and they believed they would gain more experience teaching both genders. With regard to the male pre-service teachers’ instructors, the trainees preferred male instructors due to easier communication and convenience. It is recommended that pre-service teachers be allowed to choose their students and instructors based on gender if possible, and consequently they may be allocated on this basis. The study concludes with some recommendations for further research.