Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

Lesson 4
Gender-Neutral Language

Table of Contents

Learning Competency 1
Specific Objectives 1
Learning Content 1
Topic 1
Materials 1
Reference 1
Time frame: 60 minutes 1
Learning Activities 2
Essential Question 2
Motivation 2
Warm Up! 2
Lesson Proper 3
Springboard 3
Review 3
Presentation of Lesson 3
Discussion 3
Evaluation 5
Drills 5
Values Integration 6
Synthesis 7
Synthesis Activity 7
Possible Answers to the Essential Question 8
Assignment 8
 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

Unit 8 | Language Use

Lesson 4: Gender-Neutral Language

Learning Competency
The learner identifies properties of a well-written text (language use)
(EN11/12RWS-IIIgh-4.3).

Specific Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to
● recognize the importance of using gender-neutral language, and
● apply the use of gender-neutral language in appropriate contexts.

Learning Content

A. Topic
Gender-Neutral Language

B. Materials
● Presentation slides
● Copies of the drills

C. Reference
Quipper Study Guide: Reading and Writing Skills Unit 8: Language Use

D. Time frame: 60 minutes

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

Learning Activities

Essential Question
1. If using technology, refer to slide 4 of the slide presentation.
2. If not using technology, write this on the board:
“Why is it important to use gender-neutral language in today’s world?”
3. Instruct your students to reflect on the question for a minute. Ask some students to
answer the question.

A. Motivation

Warm Up!

Job Guessing Game

1. Ask the students to make a list of seven gender-biased ways of referring to jobs
(e.g., stewardess).
2. Let them research their gender-neutral equivalent (e.g., flight attendant).
3. Then allow the students to work in pairs with their seatmate and follow the given
instructions:
○ Student A says a gender-biased term.
○ Student B guesses the gender-neutral term.
○ Student A says if the guess is correct. If it is, Student B gets one point.
○ Student B says a gender-biased term.
○ Student A guesses the gender-neutral term.
○ Student B says if the guess is correct. If it is, Student A gets one point.
○ Keep taking turns until you run out of gender-biased terms.
○ The one with more points wins the activity.
6. Afterward, instruct them to discuss with their partner why they think it is better
to use gender-neutral terms.

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

B. Lesson Proper

Springboard

After the warm-up activity, you may start the lesson by saying, “In professional and
academic writing, it is recommended to use gender-neutral language. This is to
promote inclusiveness among people who are nonbinary. In the past, the use of
masculine nouns and pronouns is observed to address common gender. However,
because of the dynamism of time and language, this has changed. In this lesson, we
are going to learn how to promote inclusiveness in gender through the use of
language.”

Review

Before starting the discussion, lead the minds of the students toward the topic. You
may ask them the following questions:

● What is gender?
● What biases are commonly related to gender?
● How can we make our words neutral in terms of gender?

Presentation of Lesson

1. After discussing the review of the lesson, proceed to the lesson proper.
2. If using technology, refer to slide 8 of the slide presentation.
Presentation File Link

Discussion

While discussing the concepts in the study guide, you may present to the students
the following additional information and examples.

Gender-Neutral Language

○ A communicator should be careful not to favor a certain gender when

constructing sentences.
○ The term “gender-neutral language” is a generic term covering the use of
nonsexist language, inclusive language, or gender-fair language.

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

○ Its purpose is to avoid words that may be interpreted as biased, discriminatory,

or demeaning by implying that one sex or social gender is the norm.
○ Using gender-fair and inclusive language also helps reduce gender stereotyping,
promotes social change, and contributes to achieving gender equality.

Examples:

1. The researcher must submit his proposal before the deadline.

2. The researcher must submit his or her proposal before the deadline.
In the first sentence, the pronoun his is used even though a researcher could also be
female. This shows bias against women. The second sentence, on the other hand,
used both a masculine and a feminine pronoun, which eliminates gender bias from
the sentence.

1. Please all rise in welcoming this year’s faculty and their wives.
2. Please all rise in welcoming this year’s faculty and their spouses.
The first sentence assumes that all the faculty members are men. The use of the
word spouses in the second sentence, on the other hand, is inclusive and free from
gender bias.

1. This company needs a more passionate and dedicated manpower.

2. This company needs a more passionate and dedicated workforce.
Remember to include all people in general references by substituting
gender-neutral words and phrases for gender-biased words. For example, the word
manpower can be replaced by the terms workforce or human resources.

The use of masculine or feminine pronouns may create gender bias, which is
evident in the following statement:

Each employee must submit his photo for filing.

This can be avoided by doing the following:

1. Drop the pronoun that signifies gender and restructure the statement.

Each employee must submit a photo for filing.

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

2. Change to plural construction.

Employees must submit their photos for filing.

3. Replace the masculine or feminine pronoun with one or you.

You must submit your photo for filing.

These links below may help you in elaborating on gender-neutral language.

Helpful links!
Check the link below for more information on gender-neutral language.

Learn English with Emma [engVid]. Aug. 3, 2012.

‘Gender-inclusive language - how to avoid sexism.’
https://youtu.be/xrzl4Bmf1fs.

Evaluation

Drills

Have the students work on the following exercises. You may print copies of the
worksheet from this link.

Complete the following sentences by supplying the appropriate pronoun(s).

Make sure to avoid using pronouns that cause gender bias.

1. Each member of the audience has cast ____________ ballot. (his or her)
2. Good lawyers are willing to discuss ____________ moves with the client. (their)
3. An experienced politician always chooses ____________ campaign writer from those
loyal to the political party ____________ belongs in. (his or her, he or she)
4. Nurses have to take extra precautions to protect ____________ from contagious
patients. (themselves)
5. Teachers must take care of ____________ school file. (their)
6. A business executive must deal with ____________ subordinates fairly. (his or her)

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

7. Each contestant has submitted ____________ profile to the committee. (his or her)
8. The school principal announced ____________ retirement during the program. (his or
her)
9. If you are thinking of hiring a teenager to babysit, we recommend that you check
whether ____________ has prior experience. (he or she)
10. The storyteller began to recount ____________ personal experiences. (his or her)

If the statement is gender-neutral, place a check mark (✔) before it.

Otherwise, revise the statement to eliminate gender bias.

1. A teacher must communicate clearly with her students. (Teachers must communicate
clearly with their students.)
2. A defendant should not be required to sacrifice the constitutional right to a fair trial.
(✔)
3. A doctor must indicate his license number in prescriptions. (A doctor must indicate
his or her license number in prescriptions.)
4. Mr. Smith’s little lady arrived in a fabulous red gown. (Mr. Smith’s spouse arrived in a
fabulous red gown.)
5. The server brought us the menu. (✔)
6. The police officer politely requested for my driver’s license. (✔)
7. Each student must submit a personal essay upon applying to the university. (✔)
8. During the ancient times, men used horses in one way or another. (During the
ancient times, people used horses in one way or another.)
9. Are there any freshmen who would like to apply as a contributor for the campus
paper? (✔)
10. The stewardess served chicken afritada to the pompous gentleman. (The flight
attendant served chicken afritada to the passenger.)

Values Integration
Ask your students this question to help them connect their learning to real-world
situations:
“How can we show respect toward those with nonbinary gender aside from
using gender-neutral language?”

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 Unit 8: Language Use • Grade 11/12

Synthesis

Synthesis Activity

1. Ask the students to assume the role of an HR manager in a company.

2. Instruct them to compose a formal letter addressed to all employees mentioning
that the company is gender-inclusive and reminding employees that gender
discrimination will not be tolerated in the workplace.
3. Remind them to observe the following:
● appropriate level of formality and directness in language usage
● bias-free language that is relevant to the context

Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score

(0–1 point) (2–3 points) (4–5 points)

Content The purpose of the The letter clearly The letter clearly
letter is unclear. states its purpose. states its
More explanations Some explanations purpose. It
need to be used to are stated to contains
support the main support the main appropriate
idea. idea. explanations to
support the main
idea.

Organization The ideas are not The ideas are fairly The ideas are
logically stated. The logically stated. The logically stated.
format is not that format is that of a The format is
of a business letter. business letter but that of a
with some mistakes. business letter.

Language The letter still uses The letter uses The letter uses
biased language. It mostly bias-free bias-free
is mostly indirect language. It is direct language. It is
and informal. but a bit informal. direct and
formal.

Grammar There are seven or There are four to six There are zero to
and more errors in errors in grammar three errors in
Mechanics grammar and and mechanics. grammar and

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mechanics. mechanics.

Score:

Possible Answers to the Essential Question

Possible answer 1: It is important to use gender-neutral language to show respect for

everyone regardless of their gender.

Possible answer 2: It is important to use gender-neutral language to avoid offending

other people.

Possible answer 3: It is important to use gender-neutral language to promote

inclusiveness in the community.

Assignment
Instruct the students to do the following at home:

1. List down ten nouns that are gendered.

2. Then, list their corresponding gender-neutral term.
3. Write your answers in your notebook.

Web Box

Instead of having the students write in their notebook, you may have them submit
their assignments using Google Drive. Be sure to create a folder where they can
upload their assignments. Remind them to enable commenting on their work.

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