The purpose of this essay is to investigate the role played by gender in the ESL context. To find the answer, I will focus on research conducted in the field over the past 15 years. During my research, it became apparent that the quantitative approach appears to be more popular among researchers, with the Likert scale at the top of the overall choices. Although many studies have been conducted to measure gender differences with MRI, there is still a lack of work done regarding second language learning. Few researchers have approached the topic with the qualitative approach and conducted the study using interviews and observations as the main tools. Mixed methods using questionnaires and interviews are recognized and gaining popularity, especially in more recent research. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay There are three main theories in the field of gender differences with respect to language: the deficit theory, the dominance structure and the different structure. The deficit theory (Lakoff, 1975) is based on the characteristics of female language: emphasizing its negative aspects by considering male language as stronger, more prestigious and more desirable. The dominance framework, developed in the mid-1970s, began to link negative evaluations of women's language to their social domination by men (Bergvall, 1999). One of the most popular books on gender differences describes gender differences as socially constructed (Tannen, 1991). Tannen's book is also often cited by sociobiologists to support the theory of differences in language processing in the brain (Moir, 1989). There are hypotheses that language is more strongly lateralized in males than in females. In some studies, left-lateralized brain activation has been shown, whereas bilateral activation has been shown in the female brain (Kansaku, Yamaura, & Kitazawa, 2000; McGlone, 1980; Shaywitz et al., 1995). Finally, the differences framework, known as the dual cultural model, suggests that males and females are socialized differently into their role, hence the differences in their communication style. Gender plays a significant role in foreign language achievement and in general females outperform males. Kissau (2006a) states that women are better due to their higher levels of motivation in second language acquisition. Little other research confirms the theory of women's better performance in foreign language aspects (Koul, Roy, Kaewkuekool, & Ploisawaschai, 2009). They tend to show a higher level of interest in language than boys. The first study (Chen et al., 2007), used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study how sex determines optimal brain function. The team created an artificial language, based on writing and the Korean phonetic system – Hangul – but the visual shapes did not match their original sounds to avoid graphene-phonology correspondence. The study was conducted in China on 24 Chinese university students: 13 males and 11 females, aged between 19 and 25. They had never learned the Korean language before and were all right-handed. The subjects followed a 2-week course, studying the visual form, phonology and semantics of 60 logographic characters of the artificial language. The program consisted of 2 hours per day and 5 hours per week of training. Furthermore, to administer the training results, internal software has been developed. Initially the subjects were trained on 20 characters, training which extended toall 60 after the first 3 days. Different types of learning tasks have been incorporated to achieve measurable results, for example, dictation, naming, copying words by hand, translation, listening comprehension. Subjects were tested on visual word learning at the end of the daily session. Behavioral data indicated that the training was successful. Pre-training MRI data showed similarities in activation in bilateral occipital and fusiform cortices and the parietal lobule for males and females. The masked comparison revealed no significant differences between genders. Analyzes of post-training performance showed the first evidence of gender differences in visual word learning. For males, the left fusiform is used to optimize language learning, while for females, the use of the bilateral neural network plays a significant role. The findings correlate with previous research (Xue, Chen, Jin, & Dong, 2006) and point to sex differences in native language processing (left hemisphere dominance for males and bilateralism for females), which may be related to the acquisition of the second language. This study provides a new perspective and can be seen as a pioneer in second language learning. The main limitation is the use of artificial language; subsequent studies must use pairs of other languages ​​and research other aspects of learning such as listening or production. The next study investigates gender differences in anxiety in the foreign language classroom (Park & ​​French, 2013). The study was conducted in South Korea on 948 university students learning English: 368 males and 580 females; with an average age of 21 years. The subjects had been learning English for more than 10 years with an interval of 2-4 hours per week. The Foreign Language ClassroomAnxiety Scale (FLCAS) with a 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the level of anxiety. The teachers responsible for collecting the questionnaires were trained on the data collection procedure, the students participated voluntarily and were asked to answer the questions honestly. Previous studies (Koul et al., 2009; MacIntyre, Baker, Clément, & Donovan, 2002; Matsuda & Gobel, 2004) have shown mixed results in gender studies. The hypothesis was that males might be more anxious than females and that their L2 performance outcomes would be appropriately lower. The results of this study reported a significantly higher anxiety level conflict scale in women. The ANOVA results indicated that female and more anxious students received the highest rating compared to male and less anxious students. The main limitation of this study is the socio-cultural aspect, thus the view of anxiety in the male-dominated Korean culture. Women were expected to receive higher grades because they have a higher level of motivation. The next study also comes from South Korea. What differentiates it from other studies is the large group of subjects: 5545 cases in total. This was a longitudinal study covering the years 2005 to 2009. The Korean Educational Longitudinal Study was conducted by the Korean government and included a nationally representative sample. The research was measuring intrinsic motivation for English and math in students from the 7th grade of middle school through the 11th grade of high school. There was a good variety of schools themselves: urban and rural, private, national and public, different curriculum tracks and, most importantly, the target genders: boys, girls and mixed classes. To measure themotivation, a 4-point Likert scale was used: interest in the topic, importance of the topic and involvement. Students' intrinsic motivation began to decline for English and mathematics, and the pattern changed only after entering high school: motivation for English increased. Gender differences were examined and it was noted that for English, women's motivation was highest in 9th grade, during middle school it was slowly decreasing, and again it increased at a faster rate during the middle school years. high school (H. Lee & Kim, 2014). . This study supports the previous one that reported an advantage in language for women (Fernández, Quiroga, del Olmo, Arónztegui, &Martón, 2011). Although this research has provided new information on intrinsic motivation and gender differences, we must consider its limitations: different psychological and environmental factors, as well as identify whether its result can be generalized to other countries (including non-Asian culture countries). Subsequent research reports the gender difference in learning oral English skills using technology. (Harb, Abu Bakar, & Krish, 2014). The subjects were 30 males and 70 females and the research was conducted in Jordan using the 5-point Likert scale. The study investigated attitudes towards learning oral skills among girls and boys and found out whether girls are better at language acquisition than boys. The questionnaires were administered twice: during the first week of the compulsory English course at the university and at the end of the semester – week 14 of the course. The results showed no significant differences between genders, both in the pre-test and in the post-test. One of the studies I chose as an example of a qualitative approach is “I'm tired. Clean and cook. (Gordon, 2004). This ethnographic study addressed the issue of gender differences and school dropout by investigating socialization in the second language (Watson-Gegeo, 1988). “Language is learned through social interactions (…) and identity and context enable or limit access to second language resources.” (Gordon, 2004). Gordon (2004) investigates gender interactions and movement in the Laotian community. “Language learning influences and is influenced by this change in identity.” (Gordon, 2004). According to this study, gender identities are being reconceptualized: women are gaining more power and more opportunities to expand their leadership roles, which has a positive impact on their second language learning. Gender change has been documented previously in immigrant and refugee communities (Foner, 1998; Zhou & Nordquist, 1994). One would expect to see this change as a strong factor in increasing access to second language resources for women and increasing language access; some studies show the opposite (Rockhill, 1990; Thanh V. Tran & Thang D. Nguyen, 1994). . They show that females have fewer opportunities to learn English than males. As the main reason, they suggest that women stay at home doing household chores and have little opportunity to interact in English with the outside world, while men need English for their daily lives, including the workplace. English for males is a necessity as they play the role of main financial support. Although it is commonly believed that women are oppressed by men and are confined to the home, we should not assume that this is always the case. In the changing society, we observe that English is not acquired by women only for domestic purposes as they more often enter the paid workforce. Thisstudy specifically shows that we need to see traditional gender identities in a new light: we should no longer ignore ongoing changes, and ESL teachers need to recognize this change. The researcher entered the Laotian community in 1994 but formal data collection did not begin until 1997. Data collection was divided into 5 phases: the first phase consisted of participant observation and interviews, the second phase researcher spent studying Lao language and literacy, the third was research in an ESL/citizenship classroom, during the fourth phase, the researcher began observing and interviewing key study participants in their homes and locations of work, finally in the last phase and last year of the research, Gordon spent in Laos, visiting the families of the participants and learning about the cultural differences between Laos and the United States. Over the course of 5 years, Gordon collected a wide range of data allowing data sources to be triangulated: “35 interview transcripts (15 from initial interviews with community members and 20 interviews with key participants); field notes from participant observation at the Lao Temple, ESL/citizenship course, research in Laos, and in the homes, workplaces, and gathering places of key participants; ESL/citizenship class documents, including class rosters, lesson plans, student information sheets, student writings, needs assessments, student progress notes, and language use sheets; documents from research sites, including newsletters and mailings from the Temple, brochures and memos from the Indochinese Assistance Association and the Lao Assistance Center, and letters received by key participants from the welfare office, public service companies, schools for children and other institutions. (Gordon, 2004). Data analysis began with themes and categorizations, using color labeling. The main participants were two Laotian women: Pha and Viseth, both of whom actively participated in ESL lessons. They had different levels of English: Pha was more advanced as she had taken on English communication responsibilities for her family, Vieth's English was very limited. Despite being a housewife, Pha developed her English through constant interactions in society. On the other hand, Viseth who worked full time did not have the same opportunity, because he worked with another Laotian immigrant. Few researchers, such as Holmes (Holmes, 1993), Rockhill (1990), stated that females have less opportunities to acquire second language than males as they lack linguistic interactions in the workplace. Data collected by Gordon (1994) contradicts this statement. It was clearly visible that Pha improved his English through household tasks such as dealing with the owner and selling the car. Vieth's English did not improve as drastically, but little change could have been observed. This serves as an example that women's presence at home does not necessarily limit their access to the language. Furthermore, “home language events required more complex patterns of English use than in the workplace.” (p. 453). In general, second language acquisition is not seen as a social phenomenon shaped by the social interactions between gender and social status. Although this study provides us with some images of changing gender identities and second language socialization, further research is needed in multiple contexts. In particular, we need to examine gender differences in non-migrants, as well as in different socioeconomic groups, and extend them to more diverse ethnic backgrounds. Thenext study investigates gender differences by measuring intrinsic, extrinsic and interpersonal motivations. and comparing language achievement between girls and boys (Liu & Young, 2017). The research was conducted on 501 Taiwanese high school students: 285 females and 216 males, using an online community-based reading competition. Since motivation is an important factor, different results in learning performance can be observed between genders (Kissau, 2006b). Reading is one of the main skills for transmitting information (Gardner, 1985). Gardner (1985) states that learning a language is a long process and identifies motivation as one of the most important factors in second language acquisition. Gardner (1985) and (Deci & Ryan, 1985) divided motivation into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. “Intrinsic motivation refers to the interesting, satisfying, and pleasant emotion that users experience when engaged in an activity, while extrinsic motivation refers to external objects such as rewards or goals used to encourage users to engage in various forms of behavior” (Liu & Young, 2017). The development of the Internet has brought online platforms to the attention of research. The online communities that have begun to emerge have created interpersonal interactions among students. (Kwok & Gao,2004) noticed this change and divided motivation into three types: in addition to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, they provide the concept of interpersonal motivation, which consists of connection and affiliation. Personal factors such as motivation and gender, as well as social factors, play a role in second language acquisition (Shaughnessy,1998; Y. h. Wang & Liao, 2011). Previous studies have shown that there are gender differences in the context of high school dropout on learning motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic (Lepper, Corpus, & Iyengar, 2005; Li, Cheng, & Liu, 2013). Kissau concluded that males have weaker intrinsic motivation than a female (2006a, 2006b) but possess stronger extrinsic motivation (2008). “Gender differences in the use of technology (including online learning technology) can also significantly alter the impact on learning performance” ((Butler, Ryan, & Chao,2005; I.-S. Lee, 2002) cited in (Li et al., 2013)). Gender differences are also visible in online discussions: women have been reported to have greater motivation and enjoyment in participating in discussions. However, gender differences are reduced when a woman does not show confidence in information and communication technologies (ICT) (Lin & Overbaugh, 2009; Wu & Hiltz, 2004). Gender determines interpersonal relationships and behaviors, making women more cooperative when the problem arises (Blum, 2005; Hale, 2002). The tools of this research were web-based questionnaires, interviews and student log files. Data triangulation was used to increase reliability. The questionnaire was developed by five high school teachers who were experts in users of the online platform. The items for intrinsic, extrinsic and interpersonal motivation were adopted using frames previously developed by Gardner (1985), Deci & Ryan (1985), Kwok and Gao (2004). The 5-point Likert scale and t-test were used to examine the topic. Users of the online platform voluntarily filled out the questionnaire (501 valid samples in total) and further interviews were carried out with 15 students who received awards. (Liu & Young, 2017) research has indicated that women possess stronger intrinsic motivation than men,.