A Comparative study of gender differnces in English foreign language praficiency among Turkish University preparatory school learners

Abstract

ABSTRACT Title: A comparative study of gender differences in English foreign language proficiency among Turkish university preparatory school learners Author: Sadiye Behcetogullari Thesis Chairperson: Dr. Dan J. Tannacito, Bilkent University, MA TEFL Program Thesis Committee Members: Dr. Linda Laube, Ms. Patricia Brenner, Bilkent University, MA TEFL Program The purpose of this study was to investigate if female university preparatory school EFL learners have a significant quantitative advantage over males in general English foreign language proficiency, English reading comprehension, and written English usage, and if male university preparatory school EFL learners have a significant quantitative advantage over females in English listening comprehension. Another purpose of this study was to explore if these expected significant gender differences would be found at different proficiency levels. Five hypotheses were tested using a total of 1737 student tests from the July COPE examination of BUSEL at Bilkent University. The first hypothesis was that there is a statistically significant quantitative difference in favor of females in general EFL proficiency of Turkish university preparatory school learners. The mean scores of female students (M= 87.12) were higher than male students (M= 86.38) in general English foreign language proficiency, however, the difference was not statistically significant when t-test was performed to compare the mean scores statistically (t-observed= 0.027 and t-critical= 1.658) Therefore, this hypothesis was rejected. The second hypothesis was that there is a statistically significant quantitative difference in favor of females in English reading comprehension among Turkish university preparatory school learners. This hypothesis was also rejected. The male students had slightly higher mean score (M= 20.40) than the female students (M= 20.35). However, this difference was not statistically significant when the mean scores were compared with t-test analysis (t-observed= 0.007 and t-critical= 1.658). The third hypothesis was that there is a statistically significant quantitative difference in favor of males in English listening comprehension among Turkish university preparatory school learners. Themale students achieved higher mean scores (M= 14.80) than the female students (M= 14.23). However, t-test analysis revealed no statistically significant difference (t-observed= 0.135 and t-critical= 1.658), which rejects this hypothesis. The fourth hypothesis was that there is a statistically significant quantitative difference in favor of females in written English usage among Turkish university preparatory school learners. Although female students had higher mean scores (M= 48.00) than the male students (M= 46.66), this difference was not statistically significant (t-observed= 0.002 and t- critical= 1.658). Therefore, this hypothesis had to be rejected. The final hypothesis was that there would be the same expected significant differences at each proficiency level. This hypothesis was partially accepted. No statistically significant gender difference was found in general EFL proficiency (p= 0.64 at the intermediate level; p_= 0.52 at the upper- intermediate level; and p_= 0.14 at the advanced level), and written English usage (e= 0.53 at the intermediate level; p_= 0.81 at the upper-intermediate level; and p_= 0.74 at the advanced level) at three different proficiency levels. But in English reading comprehension, a significant difference (p <.10) was found at the intermediate level: male students were significantly better than female students. However, we hypothesized that the gender difference would be in favor of females not males. Finally, in English listening comprehension, a statistically significant difference in favor of males was found at three different proficiency levels (p_ <.001 at the intermediate level; p <.05 at the upper- intermediate level; and p <.001 at the advanced level) as hypothesized.