Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular

They: Inclusive EFL Teacher Education

Carolyn Blume

Introduction
The aim of this chapter is to describe a novel conceptual and practical
approach to preparing future English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers
for gender-sensitive instruction by locating a blended-learning unit on the
topic within a module on inclusive language education in an English
language teacher education programme. This chapter will first summarise
the unit’s theoretical underpinnings in light of discourses on gender norma-
tivity in EFL and locate this teaching unit in the current context of German
EFL teacher education. Subsequently, the implementation of the unit in
a blended-learning format will be described. While the learning opportu-
nity described herein is situated within a unique context, this examination
of digitally mediated reflective teacher education pertaining to one partic-
ular inclusive discourse has implications for other settings, in terms of both
the opportunities it provides for comparative analysis and its potential for
transfer.
While discourses about diversity in EFL instruction in German schools
date back to the 1970s, these have traditionally focused on differences in
learners’ English language abilities, and how teachers can best be prepared

C. Blume (B)
Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
e-mail: carolyn.blume@tu-dortmund.de

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 191

Switzerland AG 2021
D. L. Banegas et al. (eds.), International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT,
International Perspectives on English Language Teaching,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74981-1_11
192 C. Blume

to address these disparities (Trautmann, 2010). It is only since the German

ratification of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (UN CRPD) in 2009 that EFL teacher preparation has begun
to address additional forms of diversity, with the primary focus on students
with special educational needs and a secondary focus on learners whose first
language is not German. This more expansive consideration of diversity has
in turn created an opening with which other forms of diversity, including
issues of gender, are more likely to be thematised (König et al., 2015).
Relevant initiatives to accompany these discourses are just beginning to
gain traction in German universities and professional colleges where initial
teacher education takes place. These initiatives are sometimes hampered by
a variety of structural and cultural barriers relating to discourses of diversity
more broadly (Trautmann, 2010). At the same time, the German Ministry of
Education and Research has funded myriad initiatives to strengthen teacher
education in, among other areas, inclusive teaching practices for diverse
educational settings (BMBF, 2019).
Given the status of English as a core subject in German schools, and the
relevance of English language skills for political, economic, social, cultural
and civic participation, the ability of future language teachers to address
the academic and affective needs of all learners in the English classroom
is of paramount importance. Moreover, the multi-faceted role of EFL in
constructing identities via classroom discourses and language acts (Nelson,
2009) underscores the need for teaching practices that foster inclusive iden-
tity construction and enable learners to participate in these discourses. Thus,
preparing future teachers of English to address these needs requires prepa-
ration that provides them with the ability, at a minimum, to identify and
consider the implications of gender-related issues in the EFL classroom. This
in turn presupposes that these pre-service teachers (PSTs) can cultivate the
reflective skills that will enable them to skilfully relate theoretical knowl-
edge to practical approaches as they pertain to, among other things, issues
of gender.
Embedded within a broader framework of learner diversity, a module was
developed at the Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany, to provide
initial EFL teacher education on inclusive foreign language teaching and
learning. While diversity in this sense emphasises the various ways in which
individual learners differ from one another, the notion of inclusion, as it is
used here, focuses on the teaching of these individual learners in a common
setting. Thus, the focus is on meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners
coming together in an inclusive EFL class.
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 193

This unit, within the module on inclusion in ELT, is conceived for PSTs
in an early stage of their university studies. It is designed to sensitise these
students to issues of gender as one aspect of diversity, highlighting the ways
in which these issues are mediated in the language learning classroom. Inter-
twining theoretical and practical elements, the module focuses on issues
of linguistic inclusion and exclusion, presentations of gender normativity
and assumptions about gender-related language learning differences. It does
this by utilising a blended-learning format, which fosters students’ agency
by enabling differentiation based on personal interest, language facility and
prior knowledge. While the difficulty in modifying PSTs’ deeply-held beliefs
is well documented, developing empathy, building epistemic and practical
knowledge, and enabling reflection is a promising approach to addressing the
gap between students’ theoretical knowledge and their ultimate instructional
practice (Richardson, 2003; Scorgie, 2010).

Gender Contextualised in an Inclusive

Curriculum
The module within which this unit is located explores various aspects of
learner diversity for future EFL teachers. Gender issues thus become situated
in an inclusive educational framework that more globally seeks to dismantle
barriers erected by socially constructed and verbalised norms (Trautmann,
2010).
In light of the centrality of language in shaping identity, and its role
in constructing and propagating specific ‘social ideologies’ (Sauntson, 2017,
p. 148), an examination of such integral aspects of identity within the
language learning setting is unavoidable. Especially in schools, which both
socialise and educate (Merse, 2017), identity, social norms and language
cannot be disentangled. This is apparent in the most prosaic of activities,
as early-stage learners acquire the language with which to describe them-
selves, their family, hobbies, and likes and dislikes. In later sequences, learners
discuss what they did in the recent past, and with whom. It is only within
a language learning setting cognisant of diverse identities, and how language
itself codifies these identities, that these issues can be addressed in ways that
are inclusive. This dovetails with premises of effective teacher education,
which itself necessitates substantial reflection regarding one’s own personal
and professional identity (Korthagen, 2004).
194 C. Blume

Gender in German EFL Teacher Education

Although some gender-related issues are increasingly incorporated into
German EFL materials for classroom use, there continues to be a
dearth of resources addressing the professionalisation needs of (pre-service)
teachers. This is especially true as it relates to themes surrounding non-
heteronormativity, i.e. the rejection of heterosexuality as the sole norm for
gender and sexual identity (Motschenbacher & Stegu, 2013). As Banegas
et al. (2020) point out, a body of literature addressing issues of gender study
in the foreign language classroom exists, but there is generally scant informa-
tion regarding foreign language teacher preparation on these topics. Overall,
it appears that incorporating issues of gender remains a novelty in German
teacher education, with an even greater paucity of empirical studies regarding
the impact at either the teacher preparation or classroom level.
Some research has been carried out to examine gender sensitivity in
existing EFL materials in Germany, for example, with the focus on gender
roles in textbooks (Benitt & Kurtz, 2016), and with sobering implications
for PSTs needing guidance. A few secondary level textbooks (ages 11 through
18) address gender-related themes, by, for example, portraying or discussing
homosexual relationships, but the ancillary teacher materials provide no
thematic support (Claussen et al., 2017; Edelhoff & Schmidt, 2013). As
Mittag (2015) points out, some of the relatively ambitious themes and
content presuppose a teacher’s ability to work with the materials critically
and reflectively. However, materials and professional opportunities to develop
these competencies are largely absent.
The unit described in the following sections highlights elements of an
initiative that attempts to generate this competence, by providing PSTs
with opportunities to reflect on the meaning of gender-inclusive EFL, and
by offering illustrations of gender-inclusive EFL teaching. Merse (2015)
identifies several critical ways in which EFL teachers can contribute to de-
centralising heteronormativity in the EFL classroom. The most important
aspect, he argues, is that a true ‘pedagogy of inclusion needs to be comple-
mented with a pedagogy of inquiry’ (p. 15), referring in this latter case to
constructivist approaches. This recommendation aligns with principles of
teacher education in general, and reflective EFL teacher education in partic-
ular (Gerlach, 2018), and informs, in addition to the content of the unit
described below, the pedagogical approach that is used.
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 195

A Blended-Learning Approach
to Gender-Sensitive EFL Teacher Preparation
Conceptualised as one unit of a semester-long module on preparing PSTs for
inclusive EFL teaching, the unit on gender inclusivity described below was
designed for early-stage (third semester) university students in an English-
medium programme of study culminating in a bachelor’s degree in teaching
EFL at either the elementary or early secondary levels, or at vocational
schools. Designed with a learning management system (LMS) that includes
both online and on-site phases, the unit includes obligatory and facultative
elements in order to take into account the participants’ prior knowledge, areas
of special interest and language skills.
In light of time constraints, an emphasis is placed on raising students’
awareness and examining potential areas of inclusive teaching practice within
an inquiry-based structure, with limited reference to theoretical knowledge
development. The team of primary and secondary English teachers, special
educators, university professors, students and subject specialists at state insti-
tutions who developed module (Straub et al., 2019) chose to focus on
experiential activities that facilitate reflection and input that summarises
key conceptual understandings. Thus, while the ways in which gender roles
are discursively constructed is critical to understanding inclusive language
teaching, readings on this topic are not included. Instead, students engage
with digitally mediated tasks in a preparatory phase online, as summarised in
the overview in Table 1 and described in detail below, before participating
in two interactive lectures that briefly convey key conceptual understand-
ings about gender diversity and gender-inclusive EFL teaching. Subsequently,
participants critically evaluate various educational materials in light of their
gender inclusivity, consider how language usage constructs inclusion or exclu-
sion, and analyse research findings regarding gender differences in language
learning.
The compulsory module, which was awarded the university’s prize for
excellence in teaching in 2019,1 has since been offered three times, reaching
a total of approximately 135 PSTs. In the following sections, selected activi-
ties designed to sensitise students to gender-related issues, inform them and
encourage reflective practitioner attitudes and skills through cognitive and
affective activities are described in more detail (Scorgie, 2010).
196 C. Blume
Table 1 Gender-sensitive EFL teacher preparation unit overview
Stage Objectives
Online 1.1 • To raise awareness of the
problematic nature of
heteronormativity in a typical
German EFL classroom
• To generate alternative
responses to heteronormativity
Online 1.2 • To acquire theoretical
knowledge on issues of
heteronormativity in EFL/ESL
• To improve listening
comprehension
In-person • To examine gendered language
1.1 in the context of EFL teaching
and learning
• To identify opportunities for
gender sensitivity
In-person • To examine the political, social
1.2 and cultural implications of
using gendered language in
the context of EFL teaching and
learning
• To identify ways to incorporate
nongendered language in
language and teaching practice
Online 2.1 • To generate an awareness of
the range of gender and sexual
diversity in the general
population
• To mediate between German
language resources and English
usage
Online 2.2 • To critically evaluate the
heteronormativity of existing
EFL materials
In-person • To reflect on the implications
2.1 of the materials review
Activities
PSTs read an excerpt from an
anonymised online forum and
answer questions designed to
scaffold their comprehension
and reflection
PSTs view a video with
interactive elements and
respond to closed-format
questions
In a plenary, PSTs debrief the
initial online activity
PSTs then work in small groups
to analyse learner products
In a brief expert talk, PSTs are
introduced to concepts of
gatekeeping and
performativity before
evaluating style guides’
recommendations regarding
nongendered language
usage. Finally, PSTs compare
the language used by L1 and
L2 English speakers
PSTs use given links, and
research on their own, to
develop a Wiki that defines
terms pertaining to gender
and sexual identity and
diversity
PSTs evaluate images from
selected EFL resources in
terms of their representation
of diversity
PSTs engage in a discussion
regarding their evaluation of
the EFL resources
(continued)
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 197

Table 1 (continued)
Stage Objectives
In-person • To critically assess the
2.2 appropriateness of
gender-inclusive educational
materials for specific EFL
settings
Online 3.1 • To understand and evaluate the
advantages and disadvantages
of various conceptual
approaches towards
gender-inclusive EFL instruction
• To improve listening
comprehension
Online 3.2 • To critically examine empirical
research regarding
gender-based learner
differences in EFL
• To improve reading
comprehension
In-person • To align illustrative materials
3.1 and tasks with the different
approaches towards
gender-inclusive EFL instruction
In-person • To critically evaluate existing
3.2 research regarding gender
differences in language
learning
Activities
PSTs work in small groups to
evaluate additional EFL
materials
PSTs view a pre-recorded
lecture and respond to
comprehension questions,
using the answers provided
to check their understanding
PSTs read one section of
Schmenk’s (2009) analysis of
studies on gender-based
learner differences in EFL
PSTs work in groups to
examine illustrative materials
and tasks, and identify their
appropriateness for the
various models of
gender-sensitive EFL
instruction
PSTs work in expert groups to
summarise their assigned text
excerpts and share the
conclusions with the other
course participants. In a
plenary, common themes are
identified

Raising Awareness
The unit begins with an online activity that has, as its primary goal, the objec-
tive of raising empathy for a given learner and scaffolding the transition from
learner to teacher, thereby initiating reflective processes. Using a prompt from
a public online posting, students are assigned the task of analysing a forum
contribution by Lia, who posts her frustrations anonymously:

So, there was this sentence in the book: ‘Jamie’s girlfriend was there too.’ As
a girl asked whether Jamie is a girl’s name, [the teacher] just responded: ‘No,
look carefully. Jamie’s girlfriend. That has to be a boy’s name. A girl can’t have
198 C. Blume

a girlfriend, well, actually […], no, definitely a boy.’ God, was I angry, but
she wasn’t willing to engage in a discussion […]. It really depressed me and
made clear that teachers are actually not the smartest and most tolerant […]
Greetings, Lia. [Author’s translation]

Following the model of a reflective task (Gerlach, 2018), students initially

summarise the incident before being prompted to identify the options open
to both Lia and the teacher in this situation. Finally, students consider why
Lia may have used the venue of an online forum to express her frustration
with this incident. The students enter their responses online, and may view
anonymous answers of other students once they submit their own answers.
In this way, the PSTs contribute their own initial analyses of the situation,
and subsequently explore their peers’ perspectives, leading to opportunities
to elaborate or modify their own positions, which are then discussed in the
following class session. The anonymity of the online phase facilitates safety
and open dialogue.
Given the importance of developing the PSTs’ awareness of the ways in
which diversity is relevant to all aspects of the language classroom, a second
activity requires students to reflect on their conceptions of normed English.
Designed primarily to raise participants’ awareness of the ways in which
heteronormativity in the language classroom is exclusionary, students are
required to correct a passage in which, among bona fide errors, the singular
they construction is used (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Examining learner products

 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 199

A discussion ensues when the students try to clarify whether Kim is a

male or female name, so that they can assign the corresponding pronoun
to the passage. Through a series of dialogically constructed, scaffolded ques-
tions, the students are challenged to consider the reasons why the use of a
singular, gendered pronoun has been impressed upon them as the only correct
language form and what the implications of this steadfast imposition might
be for variously gendered students. Additional issues relating to gatekeeping
of (English speaker) identity and notions of performativity are touched on
here as well (Pennycook, 2004), and connections are made to the inclusion
of diverse identities in the EFL classroom more generally.
The information that common style guides recommend the use of the
singular they provokes multilayered reflection pertaining to linguistic varieties,
language norms as artefacts of interaction, and the exclusionary reification of
supposedly standardised forms. Using Sunderland’s (2000) observation that
‘experience suggests that while non-native speakers of English are happier
with he or she than “singular they”’ (p. 211) while the reverse is true of
native speakers’ as a starting point, students are encouraged to think about
how issues of authority and power are intertwined in language. Finally, in an
important conceptual development, students begin to question—if they have
not done so already—the authority of their own teachers, creating discursive,
linguistic and pedagogical distance between themselves and those to whom
they were apprenticed as learners (Lortie, 1975).

Understanding the Discursive Construction

of Gender in EFL
After completing the initial activity online, students view excerpts of a video
featuring Professor John Gray as he discusses non-heteronormative invisi-
bility and identity in English language learning materials.2 Students assess
their comprehension of the video and engage in an initial analysis of its
content by means of embedded interactive questions,3 completing multiple
choice, fill-in-the-blank, true–false and summative tasks. Despite the fact that
these formats are largely behaviourist, they facilitate student agency via unfet-
tered access to the video and immediate feedback. In addition to acquiring
content knowledge regarding the topic at hand, students’ understanding of
the academic and colloquial language in the video is scaffolded.
Subsequently, students contribute to an online Wiki in the LMS, defining
terms related to various issues of gender identity. Provided with an initial
collection of German language resources as a series of links, students employ
200 C. Blume

their mediation skills to translate the content to the target format, language
and audience. The co-construction of the Wiki creates a lasting resource that
demonstrates how students’ understanding and knowledge of the themes and
language deepen as entries accumulate or grow over the course of the semester
(Lund, 2008). In this way, participants also contribute to the visibility of
gender-related themes in EFL teacher preparation.
In another online activity, students complete a survey, evaluating the
degree to which various materials reflect or counteract common gender
stereotypes. In one image and text from a popular German textbook,
Charlie, who is portrayed as typically male, participates in, and simultane-
ously disrupts, his sister’s ballet class. Whereas some students acknowledge the
atypical presentation of a boy attending a ballet class, others point out that his
behaviour is disruptive to the otherwise all-girl class. Furthermore, his sister
comments on his antics with a good-humoured ‘Oh, Charlie!’ The depiction
of a boy as a troublemaker opens the door to subsequent class discussions
of how such stereotypes may harm all genders. Although the majority of the
illustrations derive from texts and materials commonly used in German EFL
classrooms, some images from EFL textbooks used in Iran are incorporated
(Skliar, 2007). The inclusion of these images highlights the absence of varied
cultural portrayals in German EFL textbooks, such as those of women in
headscarves and invites intersectional analyses. Students begin to consider the
ways in which stereotyping codifies gender identity in ways that are reductive
and exclusive (Schmenk, 2004).

Encouraging Reflective Practice

In the first year of the programme, a guest lecturer from Great Britain
with expertise in gender-related teaching in EFL provided insights into her
research in person for this module (Way, 2016). In subsequent iterations,
students have watched the lecture online for the unit described in this chapter,
completing guiding viewing activities prepared by the lecturer and students
who originally participated.4 In her lecture, Way recapitulates the theoret-
ical and conceptual issues related to gender-sensitive teaching in EFL before
discussing evidence of the challenges faced by youth who identify as non-
heteronormative. Subsequently, using the tripartite structure elucidated by
Nelson (2009) and Macdonald et al. (2014), she describes the ways in which
teachers can address these issues productively in the classroom, namely in
terms of counselling, controversies, or discursive approaches. Way takes care
to point out the pitfalls and potential of the three variations before modelling
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 201

a critical inquiry approach to examining illustrative materials that support the

various approaches, ending with a collaborative evaluation of the materials’
appropriateness for the PSTs’ situated teaching environments.
The next phase heralds a shift in focus to examining stereotypical percep-
tions of the role gender plays in language learning, with a focus on how
research on this topic frequently oversimplifies the complexity of gender and
its role in language learning. In expert groups, students read a chapter of
Schmenk’s (2009) book questioning received wisdom about gender-specific
patterns in EFL, and one of three subsequent sections detailing a partic-
ular empirical study, as well as Schmenk’s critiques of the study. In this way,
students grapple with some of the research that delineates language learners’
strengths and weaknesses along binary gender distinctions, as well as the
methodological and analytical criticisms of the given study, before translating
these conclusions to their potential teaching practice.

Evaluation
Although the entire module was evaluated in a mixed methods approach
that analysed its impact on attitudes towards inclusive EFL, beliefs about
EFL learners and participants’ reflective competence (Blume et al., 2019),
the research did not focus specifically on gender-related beliefs and knowl-
edge. Therefore, despite evidence that the participating students developed
more inclusive beliefs and more sophisticated reflective schema overall, the
relationship between the unit described here and these changes is not docu-
mented. The closed-response items in the various instruments did not address
gender-related issues specifically, and no student mentioned them in response
to the open-ended prompts. This silence suggests that the topic was not seen
as warranting comment, itself a telling indicator of the module’s perceived
significance. Additional anecdotal evidence suggests that the affective and
cognitive impact of the module varied among participants.
Like the learners in Nelson’s (2015) study, at least some students found
the unit on gender ‘personally meaningful’ (p. 6). While not systematically
elicited from students, one programme member volunteered during the Way
lecture that they had not been exposed to any of the themes or content
in their own secondary schooling, leaving them with a feeling of exclu-
sion (personal communication, 1 November 2017). Another student revealed
during class how the lack of broad gender representation in her own school
career made her feel invisible, so that she was glad to have ideas about how
202 C. Blume

she could address this topic differently in her future classroom (personal
communication, 6 November 2017).
Evidence for cognitively-based reflection based on an empathetic stance
can be gleaned from student work completed in the course of the module.5
In response to Lia’s situation, for example, participants contributed written
answers that demonstrated their understanding of the issues as they relate
to Lia, the teacher and the EFL classroom. In hypothesising about what
the teacher might have done in response to the question regarding Jamie’s
sexuality, one student wrote the following:

If the teacher would have had in mind that some students of her class could be
gay, she maybe would have acted more open-minded. They could have talked
about that topic in class and be open and tolerant about it. If she wouldn’t
have ignored the situation the students would not be upset about it.

Most responses in this task reveal empathy with Lia and criticise the teacher’s
handling of the situation. Notwithstanding, the following excerpt indicates
that some participants have a more nuanced understanding of the factors
shaping the teacher’s behaviour in comparison to their peers:

The worst case might be that the teacher thinks that people who decide not to
live in heterosexual relationships are ‘not normal’. Another possibility would
be that she doesn’t know how to talk about a delicate topic like sexuality in
general with her students. She might also rate her students as too young to deal
with topics that are out of the ordinary and - in her opinion - could confuse
them.

A minority of students’ entries demonstrate a lack of critical understanding

for the issue, despite the scaffolding intended to support this development:

In a situation like this, the teacher could have looked for real proof to determi-
nate [sic] if the person is a male or a female. But in my case, I will suggest not
paying attention to that detail because I do not think it makes any difference
to the story if the character is male or female.

Finally, many students were able to generate alternative strategies for the
unknown teacher in this incident, including validating the learner’s query,
encouraging students to identify text-based evidence that reveals Jamie’s
gender, and using the incident as a springboard for a discussion of gender
and stereotypes.
Three students in the initial cohort of 27, for which there is complete
data, wrote their term papers on the issue of gender in the EFL classroom.
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 203

Expanded upon in a subsequent undergraduate thesis, one author later inter-

viewed non-heteronormative EFL learners regarding their preferences for
gender-sensitive language learning environments. Although an in-depth anal-
ysis of these projects would more fully illuminate the connections between
the authors’ attitudes and knowledge, and the content of the module, the fact
that some students opted to focus on gender themes for their research suggests
that the unit created receptivity towards the topic and an understanding of
the relevance of these issues.

Conclusion
Given the dearth of materials and research regarding teacher preparation
for gender-inclusive language teaching, this contribution documents a pilot
project designed to raise awareness and inculcate PSTs with the attitudes
and knowledge necessary for a truly diverse EFL setting. By implementing
online activities and opportunities for dialogical interaction as well as reflec-
tive growth, the unit illustrates how these concepts can be integrated into a
module focusing on ways to meet the needs of all language learners.
While empirical evidence of its impact is beyond the scope of this descrip-
tion, student responses indicate that the mixture of activities designed to
encourage reflective practice in this regard contributed to awareness, empathy
and increased knowledge among some participants. In the future, further data
collection and analysis could determine the degree to which the outcomes
are shaped by specific activities and elements. More significantly, a long-term
study that traces the attitudes and activities of these future educators once
they enter the language learning classroom could reveal the ways in which the
inclusive principles and practices of this unit are reflected in their teaching.
By incorporating the aforementioned unit in a module otherwise devoted
to issues of learner diversity, an appropriate conceptual framework was estab-
lished. This approach provides learners with contextualisation in line with
universal themes of equity, non-discrimination and inclusivity. In doing so,
it avoids the marginalisation of gender and sexuality-related themes that can
occur when a separate module on these issues is offered (Rayaprol, 2011). It
additionally facilitates an understanding of intersectional issues when exam-
ining educational practice in heterogeneous classes, complexifying as it does
the identities of the future teachers’ putative students. While this approach
limits, due to the range of topics that necessarily need to be covered in the
module as a whole, the development of theoretical understandings of gender
204 C. Blume

identity and construction, it insures that the entire cohort is required to

critically examine the implications of gender issues for teaching EFL.
In addition to carefully considering the ways in which the content of the
unit scaffolds the understanding of the PSTs in the module, the pedagogical
methods that are used are equally important. Although it is notoriously diffi-
cult to change PSTs’ beliefs, the data raised in conjunction with this module
suggests that the guided reflection that took place during this unit may effect
belief change (Blume et al., 2019). Nevertheless, the difficulty of strength-
ening reflective skills remains apparent, as the data reveal a generally low level
of reflection and significant disparities in reflective abilities regarding issues of
diversity in the cohort overall. Thus, the challenge remains of understanding
how to improve reflection as it pertains to diversity, and especially for those
PSTs who struggle with envisioning inclusive environments.
The activities that generated the most discussion and reflective responses
were those that linked issues of identity and language to EFL instruction.
Concentrating on the role of language in terms of informing identity, mani-
festing gender norms and highlighting stereotypical portrayals in media and
research, this unit connects theoretical notions of inclusion to subject-specific
discourses and practices. In so doing, it raises awareness of how language itself
can contribute to inclusive practice.

Suggested Further Reading

Decke-Cornill, H., & Volkmann, L. (Eds.). (2007). Gender studies and foreign
language teaching: A conference held at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena in the
spring of 2006 . Tübingen: Narr Francke.
This edited volume brings together a range of gender-related topics rele-
vant to foreign language teachers. With one exception, the contributions are
in English and address issues central to second language learning, such as
interaction and culture.
Elsner, D., & Lohe, V. (Eds.). (2016). Gender and language learning: Research
and practice. Tübingen: Narr Francke.
This edited volume emerged from a lecture series designed to raise aware-
ness among pre-service and in-service teachers of gender-related issues in EFL
learning and teaching. It offers a series of essays and guiding questions on
various aspects of gender-related language teaching, including a definitional
foundation and analyses of research regarding gender differences in language
learning, gender construction in language and texts, and gendered teaching
and representation.
 Preparing Pre-service Teachers for the Singular … 205

Motschenbacher, H. (2010). Language, gender and sexual identity: Poststruc-

turalist perspectives. IMPACT: Vol. 29. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
This monograph focuses on an analysis of gender-related issues in linguis-
tics from a post-structuralist perspective. Addressing issues of linguistic
structure, gender-informed research in various linguistic fields, and gendered
discourse, the text is a sophisticated introduction to the field of queer
linguistics, and is most suited for teacher educators or researchers.

Engagement Priorities
• The chapter indicates that the impetus for the module development
emerged from recent interest in education for diversity and increased
immigration from non-European regions. How might teacher educators
productively address the concerns of PSTs regarding conservative attitudes
about issues of gender diversity among recent immigrants?
• The unit described in this chapter was designed for a specific context,
namely a German EFL teacher preparation programme. What elements
of this unit could be relevant for other settings, especially ones without the
contextualising frame provided by the focus on diversity?
• To what degree does the blended-learning approach adopted in this case
both provide and limit certain pedagogical opportunities?
• The research shows that most PSTs ultimately adopt the pedagogy and
practice of their school mentors or school communities. How can the
receptivity towards gender-sensitive instruction initiated in this module be
sustained over the course of subsequent years of study and adopted in prac-
tice, especially when mentors or school communities are sceptical of such
inclusivity?

Notes
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXcrJujeHxM&feature=youtu.be.
2. The video has since been replaced online with a more recent version of Gray’s
lecture, and can be found here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/gen
der-sexuality-elt-%E2%80%93-inclusive-education-vs-queer-pedagogy.
3. https://h5p.org/.
4. https://tefl.web.leuphana.de/?page_id=808.
5. All responses were collected anonymously via Moodle (LMS). Students were
informed in advance that their work would be analysed for research-related
purposes and had the opportunity to decline participation.
206 C. Blume

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