Navigating Gendered Terrains: Academic Self-concept and Male Norms as Predictors of L2 Speaking Anxiety among Female Engineering Undergraduates

While acknowledging that gender equity and inclusivity do not manifest through an increased representation of women in STEM classrooms, this study explored the academic self-concept, perceptions of male norms, and L2 speaking anxiety of 177 female engineering graduates in India. Using validated questionnaires, their beliefs on academic self-concept and male norms were investigated to find whether such perceptions could predict their anxiety in L2 speaking, which is a non-scientific yet essential skill of learners. Using a correlational analysis, significant relationships were identified among female learners’ academic self-concept, their perceptions of male norms, and L2 speaking anxiety. Subsequently, a multiple regression analysis corroborated female learners’ academic self-concept and perceptions of male norms as possible predictors of their speaking anxiety in a male-dominated classroom. The results further deduced that female learners experience stereotype threats in engineering classrooms. This study contributes to the current literature on gender and language learning in engineering classrooms by examining the connection that female learners’ stereotypical beliefs and academic self-concept have with their speaking skills. The study also explored the pedagogical implications that emerged from the results.