Gender Differences in English Proficiency among Early, Middle and Late Immersion Undergraduate Students: The Role of Individual Difference Factors

Abstract

Abstract
A number of s tudies conducted a cross di fferent levels of educa tion ha ve reported tha t female learners’ capa city to lea rn second language successfull y is hi gher than male lea rners ’. However, few wri ters ha ve been able to question and investi gate the effects of di fferent levels of immersions and va rious indi vidual fa ctors on male a nd female lea rners ’ English proficiency at uni versity level . The aim of this study is to exa mine how gender differences in English profi ciency is influenced by individu al di fference fa ctors among ea rl y, middle and late immersion undergradua te students . Both quali tati ve and quanti tati ve methods were used in i nves tiga ting 221 undergraduate s tudents from va rious colleges in the ci ty of Gulba rga , India. The resul ts reveal tha t the female lea rner’s hi gher English proficien cy compa red wi th the male learners’ is pa rtl y caused by their s tronger a tti tude towa rd English langua ge educa tion and self -confidence to lea rn the langua ge successfull y. Implica tions of the resul ts and future research di rections a re also presented.