Gender Differences in the use of politeness strategies in the classroom and its effect on self- confidence: The case of first year EFL learners in the department of English at UMMTO.

Abstract

The present study investigates male and female first year English language students use of politeness strategies in the classroom and its effect on their self-confidence. It seeks to determine gender differences in the use of politeness strategies in the classroom. This study is based on Brown and Levinson’s politeness theory (1987). To conduct this study we used the Mixed Method Approach to gather qualitative and quantitative data. One hundred (100) questionnaires were distributed to fifty (50) girls and fifty (50) boys at the department of English of MMUTO and twelve (12) classroom observation sessions on a sample of two hundred and forty students (240). The data gathered from classroom observation were interpreted using qualitative content analysis, critical discourse analysis and Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies (1987). The data gathered from the questionnaires were interpreted using a computer software program called SPSS. The findings indicate that there is a significant difference between male and female students of the department of English at Mouloud Mammeri University in the use of politeness strategies in the classroom and this affects their self-confidence. In the sense that female students use more positive and negative politeness strategies than male do.