Gender Equality. Speaking exercise

Gender Equality

In this lesson we will be talking about Gender Equality in English, and looking at how to correctly use the verbs expect / want / need / would like.

"The 2010 global gender gap report by the World Economic Forum shows that countries with better gender equality have faster-growing, more competitive economies".
— Michelle Bachelet

Thanks to equal access to education, gender equality has improved a lot in developed countries over the past few decades. On average, women from developed countries are at least as educated as men, although in the USA, for example, they can only expect to earn about 80% of the salary a man would earn for the same job. There is still a long way to go before true equality is reached.

In developing countries, gender inequality in education is still an issue. Around two thirds of illiterate people are female, and the gender gap is much wider than in developed countries.

Before we get started, here is a list of vocabulary that will help you talk about Gender Equality, with your native English-speaking teacher in your conversation classes via Skype.

Gender gap

English vocabulary related to Gender Equality

• A level playing field
• Developed countries
• Developing countries
• Discrimination
• Double standards
• Earn
• Gender gap
• Illiterate
• Rights
• Maternity leave
• Promotion
• Stereotype

Grammar to use in your online English conversation class

Expect / Want / Need / Would like + someone + to + verb

The grammatical structure for each of these verbs is the same:

A) When the subject who expects / wants / needs is different from the subject who does the verb:

• Expect + someone + to + verb
• Want + someone + to + verb
• Need + someone + to + verb
• Would like + someone + to verb

Examples:

• Society expects women to stay at home and look after their children.
• Many people want women to have the same opportunities as men.
• Gender equality needs men to get involved too.
• I would like you to support low-income girls’ education in developing countries.

B) When the subject who expects / wants / needs is the same as the subject who does the verb:

• Expect + to + verb
• Want + to + verb
• Need + to + verb
• Would like + to + verb

Examples:

• I expect to see real equality in the next 20 years.
• Women want to have the same opportunities as men.
• Men need to stop ignoring gender inequalities.
• I would like to earn as much as my male colleagues.

Useful verb forms:

• Run - ran - ran
• Throw - threw - threw
• Fight - fought - fought

Common mistakes:

X They win less money
√ They EARN less money

X Society expects that they stay at home
√ Society expects THEM TO stay at home

Gender equality in education

Questions we will discuss in your online English conversation class:

• Do women in your country earn less than men for doing the same job?
• What about in other parts of the world?
• Why does gender inequality exist in the workplace in developed countries? Is it ever fair?
• How can gender inequality in the workplace affect families?
• Which professions are usually associated with men?
• Which professions are usually associated with women?
• How can men benefit from gender equality in the workplace?

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• Do women and men have equal education opportunities where you live?
• What about in other parts of the world?
• What can people in developed countries do to support the education of low-income girls in developing nations?
• Actress Emma Watson once said that “fighting for women’s rights has too often been synonymous with man-hating.” Do you agree?
• How does gender equality compare nowadays to when your grandparents were your age?

Practice reading and listening before speaking with your native English-speaking teacher:

Did you know that suicide is four times higher among men than it is women because of the way society expects them to behave? This article explains why gender equality is a man’s issue too, and how bringing men into the conversation on gender equality takes a step toward breaking down expectations of both genders.

"Fighting for women’s rights has become "synonymous with man-hating," as Watson put it in her speech. But gender equality benefits men as well. With a growing number of men taking on the responsibility of caring for children as their parters work, breaking down traditional gender stereotypes is increasingly important...." Read more...

This advert is a personal favourite of mine. Its goal is to make sure that girls everywhere keep their confidence through puberty, and showing them that the expression “like a girl” should not be a negative thing, but an awesome thing.

Do listening exercise on this video!

Speaking practice:

Now book your online English conversation class with one of our native English-speaking teachers to put into practice what you’ve learned in this lesson.

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