Academic Experiences of MA in TEFL Students from Coeducational and Single-gender Secondary Schools

Coeducational and single-gender schooling differences are an important area of education research more broadly and of TEFL research in particular. Researchers explore psychological, physiological, as well as external factors affecting the effectiveness of such schooling and of teaching and learning English in such different contexts. This dissertation explores how coeducational and single-gender secondary school backgrounds shape the academic experiences and training of MA in TEFL students. Using a mixed-methods approach and data from a private, selective university in Kazakhstan, this dissertation studies how secondary schooling backgrounds shape the graduate school experiences of in-service and pre-service EFL teachers. The findings suggest that the impacts of studying in coeducational and single-gender schools do extend up to graduate school affecting the academic and social experiences of MA in TEFL students. The findings of this study have important implications for teacher preparation programs and the design and delivery of English language teaching programs in both coeducational and single-gender secondary schools