Sexuality & Culture

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09840-x

ORIGINAL PAPER

Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language

Teaching (ELT): Voices from ELT Practitioners in Philippine
Higher Education Institutions

Veronico N. Tarrayo1   · Rafaella R. Potestades2 · Mark B. Ulla3 

Accepted: 2 March 2021

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
2021

Abstract
In recent years, gender mainstreaming in education has been discussed and studied.
In the Philippines, however, research has tended to focus on extreme ends of the
implementation process such as the awareness of educators about the gender per-
spective or the success in incorporating gender in their pedagogical practices, rather
than an in-depth analysis on the overall experience of educators in the government’s
attempt to mainstream gender-and-development education in schools. Also, there is
a gap in the literature concerning Filipino English language teaching (ELT) practi-
tioners’ views  on integrating the gender perspective into English language educa-
tion. Through semi-structured interviews, the present study explores how a group of
71 Filipino college teachers of English perceive the benefits, ways, and challenges
of incorporating the gender dimension in ELT. The thematic analysis of interview
responses revealed the following benefits: enhancement of learners’ critical thinking
skills, promotion of an inclusive and supportive learning environment, and increased
awareness on the critical role of language (i.e., English) in recognizing diversity.
Further, it was found that the teacher-participants incorporate gender knowledge
in ELT in two ways: instructional materials and teaching-learning activities, and
teacher-student interaction. In terms of challenges, three major themes emerged:
learner factor, teacher factor, and institutional constraints (which were further cat-
egorized as curriculum, resource, and belief).

Keywords  English language teaching · Gender and development · Gender

education · Gender perspective · Philippines

* Veronico N. Tarrayo
[email protected]
Extended author information available on the last page of the article

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Introduction

Previous research on incorporating notions of  gender and sexuality in language

teaching have been mostly conducted in Argentina (Banegas, 2020), South Africa
(Jimmyns & Meyer-Weitz, 2019), and Poland (Pakuła et  al., 2015). Most of these
studies focused on integrating a lived or person-based curriculum (Banegas &
Velázquez, 2014; Norton & Pavlenko, 2004) that incorporates gender as part of a
human’s identity and lived experiences. A number of researchers have also assessed
gender representation in textbooks (Ariyanto, 2018; Curaming & Curaming, 2020;
Lee & Mahmoudi-Gahrouei, 2020; Tarrayo, 2014). In terms of the teacher-perspec-
tive ELT, notable discussions have centered on the experiences of Argentinian stu-
dent-teachers in incorporating the gender perspective in ELT (Banegas et al., 2019;
Mojica & Castañeda-Peña, 2017). Collectively, ELT educators first struggled in
incorporating minute notions of gender-fair language (Lomotey, 2020) and issues
in their classroom discussions, but they gradually appreciated the importance and
benefits of integrating gender-equality values into their pedagogical practices (Bane-
gas et al., 2019; Norton & Pavlenko, 2004). These studies have concluded that the
integration of the gender perspective into ELT pedagogy leads to (1) creating a sup-
portive and open space for LGBTQIA+ learners (Sauntson, 2012), (2) educators
reflecting on and challenging their own gendered beliefs and experiences, and (3)
teachers being more conscious of other people’s diverse gendering ways (Banegas,
2020; Banegas et al., 2019; Mojica & Castañeda-Peña, 2017).
In the Philippines, the research, to date, has tended to focus on extreme ends of
the implementation process, such as the awareness of educators about the gender
perspective (Sumadsad & Tuazon, 2016) or the success in incorporating gender in
their pedagogical practices (Lualhati, 2019), rather than an in-depth analysis on the
overall experience of educators in the government’s attempt to mainstream GAD
education in Philippine colleges and universities. This would mean that previous
findings on the implementation of gender mainstreaming in Philippine education
have remained vague.
Thus, this study aims to help address this problem by offering detailed accounts
of the experiences of ELT practitioners. Hearing the voices of Filipino ELT educa-
tors may assist educational departments in calibrating their implementation strate-
gies to ensure that all relevant stakeholders have the safe space to gradually integrate
the gender perspective into micro-aspects of the learning process. Language educa-
tion plays a crucial role in shaping educators’ critical-thinking skills to craft student-
centered and gender-responsive pedagogical practices (Banegas, 2020). Likewise, at
the time of writing, no single study has examined the gender perspective in ELT in
the Philippine context.

Gender Mainstreaming in Philippine Classrooms

The Philippines is known to be one of the most gender-equal nations in Asia (Com-
munity Business, 2019). ‘Gender’ here is commonly defined by intergovernmental

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organizations in the cisgender sense—referring to people whose gender identity

and expression strictly align with their biological sex. Using this definition, these
organizations have ranked the country as number one in minimizing the gender gap
because of its ‘success’ in closing the gender-wage gap by 79% (Wood, 2018). The
Philippines was also ranked highly because of ‘gender diversity in the workforce,’
which was based on the representation of women across all job levels and industries,
and by their age and gender-pay gap by age (Community Business, 2019).
Unfortunately, these statistics generalize such successes without fully assessing
the state of other minorities and lower-economic classes such as LGBTQIA+ (les-
bian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other genders) communities
(United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], United States Agency Interna-
tional Development [USAID], 2014) or women working in the informal economy
(Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research, Inc. Philippines [EILER],
2015). More importantly, such statistics hardly consider subtle misogynistic and het-
erosexist cultures deeply interwoven in various social institutions such as schools or
families. They also tend to overlook the emotional and mental welfare of the said
minorities since they mostly focused on economic and political statistical indicators
(Bayudan-Dacuycuy & Dacuycuy, 2017).
Educational institutions are considered as authoritative social systems; conse-
quentially, they have the power to formalize rigid gender values as a ‘natural’ part of
society (Sauntson, 2012). Since educators either consciously or unconsciously instill
rigid gender-binary values in their teachings, students grow up to believe such biases
to be facts (Calduch, 2015; Pakuła et al., 2015). These gender values are inculcated
early on the students’ lives through gender-positioning practices such as streaming
male students into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sub-
jects (Marakova et  al., 2019), and gender-material discussions found in textbooks
and classroom interactions (Ariyanto, 2018; Salami & Ghajarieh, 2015). The inte-
gration of the gender perspective into education, which covers English Language
Teaching (ELT), was the Philippine government’s attempt to shape gender notions
through pedagogical practices. The main goal was to eradicate any form of gender
discrimination and violence committed in schools—gender here is still being used in
a cisgender sense. This includes, but is not limited to, cases of bullying, sexual har-
assment, or withholding of academic opportunities (UNDP, USAID, 2014).
Since English is one of the official languages in the Philippines, the role of ELT
in the overall learning curve of Filipinos is quite essential. Fundamentally, Filipi-
nos learn important practices such as government procedures, research methods,
and corporate communication through the English language (Cabigon, 2015). This
means that their formal entry, as community experts, in society is impacted by the
worldview and belief system present in the English language (Jaworski & Coup-
land, 2014). For instance, the Filipino language does not have gendered pronouns
such as ‘he’ or ‘she’—which may reinforce the gender binary; rather, they use the
Tagalog word ‘siya.’ Consequentially, the English language’s universal status neces-
sitates its responsibility to adjust to all its users’ lived experiences and identities
(Fairclough, 1987; Freire, 1970; Norton & Toohey, 2011). Since social justice and
gender-transformative experiences affect and are affected by language, it is impera-
tive that educational systems—where formal ‘co-production’ of gender discourses

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happen—adjust to gender language policies (Sauntson, 2012; Sunderland, 1994),

and in this case, apply it to ELT.

Philippine Educators and Gender‑Responsive ELT

In an attempt to rectify oppressive and discriminatory gender values found in

schools, international and national governing bodies agreed to mainstream gender
equality into classrooms and educational curricula (Rohde-Abuda et  al., 2019).
These intergovernmental organizations aimed to prevent students from being gender-
stereotyped into certain educational interests or activities, and from being discrimi-
nated because of their sexuality (Human Rights Watch, 2017). In the Philippines,
the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) partnered with the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to craft laws on gen-
der and development (GAD) in the educational system. Aiming to become more
gender-responsive, these public institutions sought to revise curricula and textbooks,
and conduct gender-sensitivity trainings for teachers and school administrators.
For the longest time, educational experts were convinced that school curricula
were politically and culturally neutral, but social scientists have argued that the edu-
cational curriculum was usually made by and for the majority—simply put, the ones
in power and the ones that have monopoly over cultural representation (Norton &
Pavlenko, 2004). They have emphasized that these curricula lacked the necessary
lived experiences of minorities in terms of teaching practices, lessons, and con-
siderations (Norton & Pavlenko, 2004; Pakuła et al., 2015). In the Philippines, the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has structured policies and guidelines to
ensure that colleges and universities are gender-responsive (CHED, 2015). A recent
study by Lualhati (2019) has found that Philippine teachers are now applying gender
sensitivity to their pedagogical practices, but the paper appears to be optimistic at
best. It has hardly assessed the teachers’ knowledge on gender and development, and
has focused on asking categorical questions instead, such as whether or not they use
gender-neutral language in their discussions or lesson plans. This is quite reflective
of the illusion that the Philippines has “completely eradicated the gap between the
sexes…” (Wood, 2018).
Out of all teaching materials, GAD committees have placed a lot of emphasis
on eradicating gender-based violence in schools and revising textbooks with gen-
der stereotypes (Department of Education [DepEd], 2017; PCW, 2015). Ideally,
gender-sensitivity programs would have trained educators to spot sexist narratives
and avoid transmitting them into lesson plans. However, since cultural barriers con-
stantly maintain misogynistic or heterosexist ideologies, top-down approaches to
gender equality hardly help educators fully deconstruct oppressive narratives by
themselves. For instance, some educators still believe sexist ideologies to be natu-
ral or a part of the Filipino culture, and vehemently believe that children should be
taught the same (Evangelista, 2017). All these things need time to be deconstructed,
and often, gender-equality values need to be organically cultivated through bottom-
up approaches, such as being aware of the language one should use when addressing
genders (Widodo & Elyas, 2020).

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Aligned with the efforts of intergovernmental bodies to reduce binary-gender

roles and rules, Filipino ELT educators were also called to integrate this gender per-
spective into their curricula and classroom discussions (CHED, 2015). Similar to
other countries integrating gender into their ELT pedagogical practices, the Philip-
pines is also struggling in the implementation process.
On a principle and fundamental level, gender mainstreaming is usually barred
by certain social institutions because of their fear of breaking down age-old tradi-
tions such as the heterosexual family (Rohde-Abuba et al., 2019). This fear is well-
founded in the Philippines—which is a predominantly Catholic country, and one of
the fewer countries passionately against progressive agenda such as divorce and sex
education. This has led to constant deadlocks in the fight for gender-equality poli-
cies, since perhaps some government officials personally believe in these fear-mon-
gering myths, and most of them probably fear losing the votes of the majority.
As an effect, regardless if the Philippine government enacts laws on integrating
GAD into the educational system, these policies and guidelines have no teeth in the
implementation process—especially in the case of private Higher Education Institu-
tions (HEIs) and their power to reject such integration attempts. At most, the suc-
cess of GAD integration relies on educators designing their own pedagogical prac-
tices such as using gender-based differentiated instruction (Hernandez & Cudiamat,
2017), or implementing UNICEF’s or UNESCO’s educational programs (Women &
Gender Institute-Miriam College, 2004). In the case of ELT, Filipino educators find
it difficult to fully incorporate the micro-aspects of gender equality into their meth-
ods such as gender-nonconforming vocabulary, topics, and gender-inclusive peda-
gogical practices (Harbin, 2016) because gender-sensitivity training programs rarely
cover integration to this degree. For example, the PCW’s (2015) nondiscriminatory
education and training objective usually ends up in general discussions on women’s
rights and the proposed SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expres-
sion) bill.
In terms of ELT in the Philippines, DepEd and CHED have yet to success-
fully remove the persistent misogynistic narratives ‘naturally’ hiding in textbooks
(Curaming & Curaming, 2020; Tarrayo, 2014), curricula, and classroom discussions
(Evangelista, 2017). Textbooks have been proven to be an important medium of cul-
tural beliefs discussed between teachers and students. This particular educational
material plays a critical role in perpetuating sexist narratives, as teachers use these
textbooks as their main sources for lesson plans (Salami & Ghajarieh, 2015). In a
study conducted by Tarrayo (2014), he has found that Philippine preschool English
language textbooks are still rife with sexist ideologies. These narratives were appar-
ent in textbook examples and images such as males being more visible in terms of
appearances, or females being dominantly assigned to reproductive roles such as
doing household chores.
A cursory review of the literature shows how Filipino educators and school
administrators perceive the government’s gender integration policy (Lualhati, 2019;
Sumadsad & Tuazon, 2016). These studies have focused on evaluating the level
of awareness that educators have and assessing their effectiveness in integrating
the gender perspective into their teaching. In spite of these studies, there is pau-
city of research concerning ELT practitioners’ informed accounts that describe their

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perspectives on the benefits, challenges, and methods in incorporating the gender

dimension in their lessons and classroom discussions. Thus, this study aims to fill
these gaps in the literature.
Specifically, the present study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What beliefs do the ELT practitioners hold as regards the benefits the gender
perspective bring to ELT?
2. In what ways do these teachers integrate the gender perspective into ELT?
3. What challenges do they face in incorporating the gender dimension in ELT?

Method

Participants

The present study, which employed a qualitative approach to explore teacher-par-

ticipants’ insights about the gender perspective in ELT, was conducted in the Phil-
ippines. A total of 71 HEI English language teachers from different colleges and
universities volunteered to participate in the study. Purposive-convenience sampling
was utilized since only those ELT practitioners who were teaching for at least two
years in any Philippine HEIs within the researchers’ network were asked to partici-
pate. Moreover, since the study was conducted between July and September 2020 in
the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, only those who were available and had an
online access were given the written interview form.
A majority of the participants were female (60.6%) and had been teaching
English for 11–20  years (50.7%) at the time of the study. In terms of educational
attainment, more than half (56.3%) had master’s degrees, while 33.8% held doctor-
ate degrees. Most of the participants were teaching in state (46.5%) and in private
universities (45.1%). Most of them handled the general education English course
Purposive Communication; some were assigned to teach major courses in the sec-
ondary education (major in English) and English language studies programs. More
so, in general, most of the teacher-participants disclosed that they participated in
seminars and trainings on GAD education organized by CHED and/or their respec-
tive schools, although some admitted that the trainings provided were hardly suffi-
cient. Of the 71 participants, only 38 expressed their willingness to participate in the
follow-up interview.

Data Collection and Analysis

Prior to the data-collection phase, the research protocol was approved by the univer-
sity ethics review board. Since the study was conducted in the middle of the COVID-
19 pandemic, data collection was conducted online where the written interview form
was emailed to the participants and follow-up interviews were done either through
email or chat in Facebook Messenger. The said email clearly conveyed the purpose
of the study, and ethical agreements were established with all the participants so

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Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

that consent, the right to withdraw, and anonymity were guaranteed. Specifically,
the interview was composed of open-ended questions written in English, and elic-
ited responses on the following aspects: the teacher-participants’ beliefs about the
benefits the gender perspective bring to ELT, the ways these teachers integrated the
gender perspective into ELT, and the challenges they faced in incorporating the gen-
der dimension in ELT. The interview form likewise asked for information about the
participants’ profile. To ensure validity, the consolidated interview data were sent
back to the participants for correction, addition, and approval. Then the interview
data were thoroughly transcribed and repeatedly read and examined; after which, the
transcripts, through a thematic-analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Widodo,
2014), were condensed and categorized based on themes and subthemes. Keyword
analysis was manually done to identify these themes. Three steps were undertaken
to code the interview transcripts: “making the text manageable,” “hearing [noting]
what was said,” and “developing theory” (Lewins & Silver, 2007, pp. 262–267). The
teacher-participants were assigned their codes, e.g., T1 (teacher 1), T2 (teacher 2), to
preserve anonymity.

Findings

In this section, the research questions are answered under the light of the findings
that aim to explore the teacher-participants’ views on the benefits and ways of, and
challenges in integrating the gender perspective into ELT.

Benefits the Gender Perspective Bring to ELT

The interview responses revealed three specific perspectives about the benefits of
incorporating the gender dimension in ELT: (1) enhancement of learners’ critical
thinking skills, (2) promotion of an inclusive and supportive learning environment,
and (3) increased awareness on the critical role of language (i.e., English) in recog-
nizing diversity.

Enhancement of Learners’ Critical Thinking Skills

The teacher-participants disclosed that integrating the gender perspective into ELT
stimulates learners’ capacity for critical thinking to reflect on issues related to gen-
der, and equality and equity in society. They likewise viewed that this perspective
establishes the social relevance of knowledge and skills learned in the English class-
room. The following statements indicate these perspectives:
I think gender perspective in ELT will bring awareness to the students to criti-
cally use English in propagating gender sensitivity, thereby contributing to the
society in eradicating discrimination and inequality between or among gen-
ders. [T1]
I guess one major benefit of this is the opportunity for students, with the help
of their teacher, to interrogate gender representations and stereotypes. In this

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case, students are prompted to have a more nuanced view of gender and sexu-
ality. [T2]
This encourages students to be critical and sensitive as far as the genders are
concerned. Also, it may highlight and level the field for LGBTQIA+ who have
long been marginalized in the context of content and academic discussion.
[T3]
Interestingly, as gleaned from T2′s and T3′s responses, the teacher-participants
tend to recognize, in a non-cisgender sense, queer concepts such as fluid gender
identities, i.e., LGBTQIA + , and the difference between sex and gender. Thus, the
gender perspective in ELT creates a supportive space for different gender identities.

Promotion of an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment

The teacher-participants viewed that the gender perspective in ELT recognizes indi-
vidual differences and foster openness to diversity in the classroom. For them, this
perspective helps improve the quality of instruction, for it promotes equal learn-
ing opportunities among students. These insights were culled from these interview
excerpts:
Teaching through this lens [gender perspective] will create a more welcom-
ing atmosphere to students who could be emotionally hesitant to learn in a
heterogeneous class. This kind of teaching also breaks down the wall between
the student and teacher of different genders. More importantly, teachers could
prepare lessons that are adjusted based on the gender of students …[T4]
I think if gender perspective is applied, the students can be more fluid in per-
forming their activities in learning English. Although, it may apply for those
students who have barriers when it comes to dealing with other students with
the same or different gender… Hence, if they can perform well without barri-
ers, they can see the class more productive than before. [T5]

Increased Awareness on the Critical Role of Language (i.e., English) in Recognizing

Diversity

The teachers believed that the gender perspective in ELT puts a premium on the
essential role the English language plays in recognizing diversity and promoting
respect and inclusivity, as revealed in these extracts:
It [gender perspective] can be a postmodern view of looking at people not on
sex but as a person. It can provide more humane understanding about sexuality,
language use, especially on Gender-Fair pronouns and nouns. It can empower
critical thinking on the roles of men, women, LGBTQI plus in literature and in
sentence constructions. [T6]
… it will open the minds of the students as regards beliefs and practices of cul-
tures that may be seen as gender-biased; it may even be a chance for some to
reflect some of their own [or their own family’s] discriminatory language and

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Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

behavior. It may also allow students to look at how their own culture [national/
regional] either perpetuate or expunge gender-biased practices or beliefs. [T7]

Ways of Integrating the Gender Perspective into ELT

The participants’ general views regarding ways of integrating the gender perspec-
tive into ELT could be examined in two levels: (1) instructional materials and teach-
ing–learning activities, and (2) teacher-student interaction.

Instructional Materials and Teaching–Learning Activities

The teacher-participants revealed that they utilize instructional materials and pro-
vide activities on topics related to gender equality, gender-fair language (GFL), and
the like. Specifically, they disclosed that, with academic freedom, they give their
students gender-issue-centered readings such as those dealing with catcalling and
deconstructing gendered discourses; facilitate class discussions on gender-fair and
inclusive language and deconstruction of sexist examples used in Philippine media,
and debates on gender concepts; and incorporate GFL-consciousness-raising activi-
ties such as role playing. The interview statements below emphasize these points.
In reading, I use gender-switching technique for my students to look at the
text from a different point of view. For example, an editorial pointing out that
men should stop catcalling women. I changed the role or gender of the writer
and made the title, women and homosexuals should stop catcalling men like
oppa or papa [both contextually mean ‘physically attractive’ men]. Those that
opposed catcalling suddenly became defensive as they were not aware that it
was also an example of harassment. [T8]
In some occasions, we tried to analyze snippets from Filipino textbooks, Fili-
pino advertisements, among others, and how these texts represent gender iden-
tities. Another instance was when teaching the ­7th edition of APA was released,
which tries to foster gender equality, I expressed how language should not cre-
ate duality or hegemonic ideologies, but instead language must be used as an
instrument to bridge diversities. [T9]
… in a debate topic in speaking class, if you choose gender-related topics, only
limited female students can share their ‘realistic’ experiences and premises if
an engineering course is dominated by male students … I also include third
gender here. Consequently, choosing a topic about ‘LGBT awareness’ in a
class dominated by male students manifests tendencies of instigating humors
about the topic. [T10]
This is evident in my literature and purposive communication class in a play
act where female students can act as a jeepney driver, or a barker while male
students can play the role of a wedding planner, a fish vendor or any occupa-
tion that in the past are clearly identified as female job or work. This is a role
play, and no changes in person’s identity is being altered. A woman barker as
she is, not a lesbian can do her job well. The same is true with a male wedding
planner, acting like a true-blooded man and not a gay. [T11]

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Interestingly, there have been attempts to incorporate materials and activities

dealing with queer gender identities, e.g., queer identities are debated (sometimes
euphemized), queer language is used in class (e.g., not using he or she), although
the general responses would tend to focus on integrating the gender perspective in a
cisgender sense. One participant [T12] shared this view:
When discussing reading selections to students, I make sure that I acknowl-
edge perspectives from different genders. In debate, when the topic is gender-
focused, I particularly ask students to take sides that they are comfortable at
and then let them take the opposite side after to give them the chance to empa-
thize with people of other genders.

Teacher‑Student Interactions

The gender perspective in ELT is also observed through the ways teachers facili-
tate classroom interactions. The ELT practitioners indicated that they contextual-
ize classroom interactions based on students’ varied personalities and backgrounds.
They also tend to be open-minded in dealing with the language use, preference,
and style of students; thus, they accommodate diversity in the classroom and are
dynamic in their teaching approaches. These insights can be inferred from these
statements:
I simply open the floor of discussion to anyone without prejudging their
stance. I encourage freedom of expression during class discussion. I let them
cite notable persons they believe affect them in any way. Thus, they feel loved
and welcomed in class because they know and see that I listen to them and
respect their opinions. [T13]
I try to be extra careful when discussing topics that touch on the issues of gen-
der orientations, preferences, etc. and make my students feel comfortable and
free to express their opinions without fear of judgment or alienation. I some-
times ask students whether they feel offended by a certain remark from one of
their classmates in reference to gender, etc. I try not to normalize and in fact
censure discourse that fosters discrimination against a certain gender—what-
ever that gender may be. [T14]

Challenges in Integrating the Gender Perspective into ELT

The participants were likewise asked about their views regarding the challenges they
encounter in incorporating the gender dimension in ELT. The subsequent interview
findings cover three major themes: (1) learner factor, (2) teacher factor, and (3) insti-
tutional constraints.

Learner Factor

Although curricula allow the teachers to use learning plans and materials integrating
the gender perspective, some students would tend to be close-minded, hesitant, and

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Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

uncooperative in dealing with gender issues and in accommodating new viewpoints.

Some teacher-participants claimed that:
There are a few students who can’t let go, or even set aside, their androcentric
perspective, and sometimes they will argue against the existence of some gen-
der issues. The arguments in class that ensue from such issues are draining and
time consuming. [T15]
Managing offense. Some students (especially those who identify as LGBTQ)
are too sensitive about these issues that they become easily offended with
opposing views. Sometimes, the discussions become too personal that it affects
their relationship with their classmates. [T16]

Teacher Factor

While the teachers disclosed that they exercise academic freedom in choosing mate-
rials for their lessons, which include gender themes, they admitted that integrating
the gender perspective into ELT takes a lot of effort, for it entails more responsibili-
ties for them, as vehemently expressed by T17:
Incorporating a gender dimension in ELT takes a lot of work and a teacher
has to also consider a lot of things before he/she can proceed with instruction
… some teachers may find themselves not having enough time to pursue such
avenue. Aside from time, they may also feel hesitant because this is something
which may be foreign to them.
Some teachers may not have sufficient knowledge and skills in using the gender
paradigm in ELT since such a perspective is hardly observed as a norm, and they are
not trained for this orientation:
One challenge is how to vary my teaching methodologies. Likewise, knowl-
edge about gender can be a challenge. Although I have ideas about how I can
integrate gender in the discussion, I claim no expertise when it comes to gen-
der as a discipline. [T18]

Institutional Constraints

Under the institutional factor, three subthemes on challenges emerged, namely cur-
riculum, resource, and belief constraints.

Curriculum Constraints  These constraints include the lack of relevant and appropri-
ate instructional materials that integrate gender mainstreaming in ELT, the seeming
absence of a framework on integrating the gender dimension in teaching, and insuf-
ficient trainings on gender perspective in ELT. Some textbooks still promote sexism.
Further, the extent of integrating the gender perspective into the micro-level, i.e.,
the classroom, has remained ambivalent. The following statements highlight these
viewpoints:

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The absence of a framework on how to integrate gender dimension in the

language classroom makes it hard for the English teacher to design a cur-
riculum with a gender perspective. [T19]
There have been textbooks being used with still containing insensitive
grammar rules or even in the displayed sign. [T20]
Most institutions are aware of this perspective. In the classroom level,
however, this perspective is not observed nor incorporated. [T21]

Resource Constraints  Contextually, in this study, resource pertains to the provi-

sion of programs and trainings on gender mainstreaming in education. The gen-
eral responses from the teacher-participants revealed that some academic institu-
tions have vague or little to no policies and programs on gender mainstreaming,
and that they hardly provide trainings on matters related to gender perspective in
education, as claimed by T22:
With all honesty, my institution has not directly helped yet in integrating
gender perspective in the classroom. There are no programs nor policies
yet to support such move, and the way things are, I do not think this is one
of the top priorities of the institution.
The participants also identified limited scholarly research on gender issues
as one constraint. T23 expressed, “Come to think of it, I think we are lacking in
this aspect as there are limited researches and programs regarding the matter.”

Belief Constraints  These cover religious beliefs, conservatism, and family orien-
tation. Because of traditional beliefs, some students and even teachers tend to be
closed-minded and may have maintained biases or subjectivities toward gender
issues:
One of the challenges may be the religious beliefs of the students. I teach
in a Catholic university and 80% of our students are Catholics. So, I guess
it will be very challenging if I argue for gender equality, including the
LGBTQ community. [T24]
A challenge that I sometimes face, ironically, is the maintenance of sen-
sitivity before audience who display tendencies towards the abrogation of
gender issues. Most often, this is learned at home, so it becomes a great
challenge to open the minds of young learners to the social realities beyond
what they acquire from their family members. [T25]
Some academic institutions have reservations as regards gender issues; thus,
there seems to be inconsistency in the attempt to gender-mainstream education:
Our course plan uses gender-neutral pronouns. But our University has been
very vocal about prohibiting same-sex relationships, gay/lesbian sex, and
cross-dressing. [T26]

13
Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

Discussion

Since studies on perspectives of Filipino university English language educators

on ELT vis-à-vis gender remain scarce, the present study aimed to shed light on
how the said educators view the benefits, ways, and challenges of incorporating
the gender dimension in ELT. In this section, the research questions are answered
and discussed under the light of theoretical foundations and findings.
First, the researchers have unraveled how the participants viewed the benefits
the gender perspective brings to ELT. Contrary to initial assumptions (Bayudan-
Dacuycuy & Dacuycuy, 2017; Sumadsad & Tuazon, 2016), the findings revealed
how the Filipino university ELT educators are, to some extent, conscientized or
highly aware of gender issues—as most of them found the integration of gender
into ELT to be beneficial in three ways.
The teacher-participants first view gender integration as a great way to enhance
learners’ critical thinking skills, such as reflecting on and even challenging sexist
roles and narratives. In hindsight, these English language teachers believe such a
benefit is true because they view gender equality and equity as necessary rather
than optional values. Compared with teacher-participants from other studies—
who were initially unmindful about the role of gender in ELT (Banegas et  al.,
2019; Mojica & Castañeda-Peña, 2017), the Filipino ELT practitioners seem to be
knowledgeable about the essential role of gender in English language education
from the onset. In addition, some of the participants tend to recognize the exist-
ence of gender-fluid concepts, such as queer identities and the difference between
sex and gender. Being knowledgeable about these concepts is vital in creating
safe and inclusive spaces for non-cisgender individuals (Sauntson, 2012). Such
awareness can lead learners to question and resist harmful gender-binary stereo-
types inside and outside of the classroom. Likewise, in this setup of resistance,
especially in schools that have safe spaces for gender and sexuality discourses,
teachers may be given opportunities to (re)evaluate their gender notions. This
form of resistance is crucial for deconstructing age-old traditions and forming
inclusive solutions (Freire, 1970; Pakuła et al., 2015).
The second benefit the participants emphasized is how incorporating gender
in ELT promotes an inclusive and supportive learning environment. They high-
lighted how being open to diverse gender identities and expression fosters a better
learning space for students—especially those who are questioning, performing,
and affirming non-cisgender identities (Butler, 1990; Sauntson, 2012). If it comes
to fruition, an inclusive and supportive classroom may stimulate students’ learn-
ing abilities and engagement in two ways: (1) eradicating gender-binary stereo-
types, e.g., male students being encouraged to participate in traditionally mascu-
line club activities, and (2) being gender-responsive to certain needs, i.e., creating
safe spaces for the LGBTQIA + . Setting the learning stage with such premises
can create a more learner-centered or lived curriculum (Norton & Pavlenko,
2004) and lessons surrounding the identities and lives of students—this keeps
learners engaged and interested in recreating that form of knowledge themselves.

13
 V. N. Tarrayo et al.

Moreover, removing such barriers to learning can lead to unravelling students’

creativity and untapped potential (Butler, 1990).
The third benefit the teacher-participants posited is the increased awareness on
the critical role of language (i.e., English) in recognizing diversity. Most of them
explained how gender-sensitive and -responsive language helps in critiquing gender
discriminatory language and behavior. Aware of their roles as authoritative figures
in the lives of learners, the participants claimed that they try to incorporate such
gender sensitivity in their own language because they know how biased conversa-
tions or words can affect the gendering process of each student (Pakuła et al., 2015).
With such awareness of language and gender, teachers can easily adjust to micro-
cosms of gendered interactions (i.e., gender-neutral pronouns, non-binary adjectives,
and classroom roles). For instance, for some students of diverse SOGIE, these non-
binary gendered interactions may provide them the freedom to practice and express
their identities, and to feel a sense of acceptance and inclusion. Being aware of the
benefits of the gender perspective is indicative of how the Filipino English language
teachers are willing to incorporate such a dimension in ELT.
The second research question focuses on the different ways the educators inte-
grate the gender perspective into ELT. Findings revealed that most of the teacher-
participants put gender theories into practice through English instructional materi-
als and teaching–learning activities, and teacher-student interactions. First, the ELT
practitioners claimed that they were already incorporating gender in their lessons
through gender-fair language, role-playing, text analysis, and debates, with the intent
of combatting sexist stereotypes and deconstructing gender biases. These methods,
as claimed by Banegas (2020) and Lomotey (2020), are important in building learn-
ers’ understanding of their own and other people’s gendering ways, and ultimately,
are crucial for instilling gender equality and equity as basic human values. Showcas-
ing such diverse gender identities and notions in classroom discussions can normal-
ize performing gender identities beyond the binary (Butler, 1990; Sauntson, 2012).
For instance, role-playing feminine gestures can show that a boy acting in such a
manner is perfectly acceptable—unless turned into a caricature of sorts. In addition,
some teacher-participants also placed a premium on directly addressing issues that
women and sexual minorities face in their everyday lives, such as catcalling or sex-
ual harassment. Directly discussing such issues in the classroom sets the tone that
these harmful acts are unacceptable, regardless of how the victim dressed or acted.
Addressing these issues directly may break down toxic beliefs about sexual minori-
ties deserving such violence. However, it is also worth noting that only a small num-
ber of the ELT educators openly questioned sexist narratives in textbooks—which
are one of the main resources of teachers in crafting lesson plans. If sexist narratives
are left unaddressed, then these biased notions might counteract with classroom dis-
cussions and activities—potentially neutralizing the benefits of incorporating gender
equality (Ariyanto, 2018; Salami & Ghajarieh, 2015).
Second, the ELT educators also stated that they try to practice gender equality
and equity in their own interactions with their students. The teacher-participants val-
ued contextualizing classroom discussions according to their students’ varied per-
sonalities, backgrounds, language use, preferences, and learning styles. Based on
their answers, the participants seemed to be practicing the learner-based or lived

13
Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

curriculum to a certain extent since they recognize gender as part of their students’
identities—which becomes an important factor when discussing topic examples,
assignments, and group activities, and making sure that their pedagogical practices
are gender-responsive and -sensitive (Banegas & Velázquez, 2014; Norton & Pav-
lenko, 2004). In ELT classroom discourses where a lived curriculum is in place,
recognizing individual differences, which cover gender identities, is strongly upheld
and encouraged; and in this context, learning lived realities goes beyond language.
Generally, the Filipino ELT educators have already attempted to incorporate gender
in their English language lessons in hopes of developing learners’ critical thinking
skills and understanding gender beyond the binary.
The analyses of answers from research questions one and two are somewhat
indicative that the teacher-participants are slightly attuning themselves to the social
justice that sexual minorities deserve and need. Moreover, most of the teachers rec-
ognize their authoritative role in shaping the way college students understand the
world through language. Their attempt to apply such gender knowledge to their ped-
agogical practices suggests that they want to create supportive and open classrooms
that encourage gender-transformative experiences (Banegas et  al., 2019; Butler,
1990; Freire, 1970).
The third research question discusses the challenges the Filipino ELT educators
encountered in integrating the gender perspective into ELT. Three dominant themes
concerning these challenges emerged from the data analysis: (1) learners’ resistance
to such gender knowledge, (2) teachers’ fatigue, and (3) institutions’ neutral or even
contradictory stance about the gender dimension.
In the first theme, the teacher-participants claimed that some of their students are
still ‘close-minded’ or ‘uncooperative’ when it comes to gendered discussions in the
classroom. This behavioral response reveals that the learners may still be resistant to
gender diversity because of heterosexist socialization and the stronghold in hetero-
sexual-family beliefs (Rohde-Abuba et al., 2019). The participants even claimed that
some students would even question the existence of gender issues or feel offended
when hearing diverse gender identities. Understandably, people are socialized from
a young age to accept such ideologies as fact, similar to how they understand that
the sky is ‘blue.’ Entering their language communities as novices give ‘community
experts,’ i.e., parents, the ability to shape the way they understand the world (Saunt-
son, 2012). Dismantling such biases need strategic integration into well-thought-out
increments and micro-aspects of gender equality (Harbin, 2016; Lomotey, 2020).
Otherwise, students might feel that they are being forced to believe such ideologies,
which may further push them to becoming disinterested with the English language
class.
In the second theme, the teachers expressed their hardships in properly managing
the classroom vis-à-vis integrating the gender dimension—they would tend to feel
ill-equipped when leading gendered discussions with people who have yet to reach
their initial conscientization. This obstacle is evident in their concern about ‘manag-
ing the offense’ students feel, especially in terms of the learners’ conservative and
religious ideologies, and masculine beliefs. Possibly, in this scenario where a teacher
mismanages an offense, the students would tend to push back or insist their biases,
which can potentially disrupt the safe space for diverse gender identities. With

13
 V. N. Tarrayo et al.

minimal support from their institutions and vague gender trainings from the state,
the participants opined that incorporating the gender dimension requires too much
effort—which they view as difficult given their extent of knowledge on the subject
matter and limited budget. As guidance in the implementation is quite scarce, the
teachers may not be incentivized to go the extra mile, e.g., properly managing the
offense students feel, and research better ways to integrate the gender dimension
into ELT. Since CHED has a dedicated Gender and Development budget—which is
mostly allocated to seminars and conferences, as per its GAD accomplishments on
its website—the call to directly respond to the concerns of the teachers is necessary.
In the third theme, institutional constraints refer to how universities and colleges
have yet to actively take a role in seriously integrating gender into education. Three
subthemes arose from the participants’ accounts, namely curriculum, resource, and
belief constraints. In the first and second subthemes, the participants expressed
their hesitance in fully integrating gender as a dimension into ELT because of the
absence of a detailed gender framework and ambiguous gender-mainstreaming train-
ing programs. Compared with university teachers from more liberal states (Bane-
gas et al., 2019; Harbin, 2016; Pakuła et al., 2015), some teachers may experience
difficulties in incorporating the micro-aspects of gender nonconforming vocabulary,
topics related to sexuality, and gender-inclusive pedagogical practices. In the third
subtheme, since the Philippines is dominantly Christian, most private and public
educational institutions still practice religious and conservative ideologies. The par-
ticipants were vocal about the neutral and even hostile response of institutions, as
some would bar large-scale queer and women’s rights organizations and initiatives.
This response contradicts the very purpose of gender-mainstreaming education,
thus indicating that this is perhaps one of the major reasons why gender discussions
are never fully fleshed out, or why they are deadlocked in classroom activities and
debates. As a result, without institutional backing, educators (1) maybe are afraid to
question conservative societal values, and (2) may create half-baked gendered activ-
ities without realizing their implications.
Among all the participants’ answers, the researchers made an interesting observa-
tion on how only a handful of the teachers seem to clearly delineate their understand-
ing of gender and sexuality. Similar to how the Philippine government addresses
the issue, they still view gender equality and equity, quintessentially, in a cisgender
sense, i.e., empowering women’s rights and dispelling men’s concerns about gender
issues. Although, on the surface, a majority of the participants stated their under-
standing of GFL and the importance of diverse gender identities, most made little
mention of actual non-cisgender concepts, such as transgenderism or homosexual
romance, in their answers. The lack of teeth in normalizing such concepts of gen-
der studies can lead to harmful activities, i.e., debating about queer identities and
issues can lead to (a) students questioning the said identities, (b) formalizing the
concept that queerness is a choice, (c) invalidating children practicing non-cisgender
identities (Butler, 1990; Sauntson, 2012), and (d) teachers using queer concepts in a
tokenistic manner, e.g., using gay lingo for classroom entertainment.
It is worth recognizing that answers to research questions one and two are con-
sistent with Lualhati’s (2019) premise of teachers being mindful of the gender
dimension, but findings for the third question contradict Lualhati’s claim that

13
Exploring the Gender Perspective in English Language Teaching…

teachers have ‘successfully’ integrated gender-sensitive and -responsive peda-

gogical practices into ELT. But, overall, the Filipino ELT practitioners’ collec-
tive awareness of the mentioned benefits is a good indicator that they are pre-
pared for proper training on implementing gender-fair-language guidelines and
methodically eradicating gender-biased pedagogical practices (Lomotey, 2020).
These educators are ready to integrate the gender perspective into their teaching;
they just need proper frameworks, curriculum, incentives, and most especially,
institutional support—the lack of such factors may lead to questionable classroom
activities and disinterested students. Only in the ideal classroom setting where
gender is not a factor in anyone’s success or failure can learners reach their full
potential and understand their gender identity beyond what society tells them to
follow.
Since the present study only explored the views of educators on the integration of
the gender perspective into ELT and its potential implications, research on the learn-
ing process and institutional response vis-à-vis gender mainstreaming may be con-
ducted. Specifically, future investigations may cover students’ reception of gendered
discussions and activities. This specific inquiry can help educators and government
agencies craft a more responsive and practical curriculum. Likewise, research on
current methods and policies in gender integration in Philippine HEIs may be car-
ried out. Such a study can help bridge the gap between teachers and educational
institutions in eradicating the current deadlock in gender-mainstreaming methods.

Funding  This study was not funded by any organization.

Declarations 

Conflict of interest  The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical Approval  All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance
with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Hel-
sinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent  Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

Veronico N. Tarrayo1   · Rafaella R. Potestades2 · Mark B. Ulla3 

Rafaella R. Potestades
[email protected]
Mark B. Ulla
[email protected]
1
University of Santo Tomas, Manila, The Philippines
2
University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City, The Philippines
3
Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

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