The table illustrates the number of English language teacher training qualifications awarded in the UK during the 2007/8 and 2008/9 academic years, broken down by gender and qualification type.
Overall, the total number of qualifications remained remarkably stable, with only a marginal increase from 32,930 to 32,945. However, there was a clear downward trend in the proportion of male qualifiers, which fell from 24.7% to 22.7% over the period.
Regarding specific qualifications, TEFL remained the most popular choice, accounting for 25,446 qualifiers in 2007/8 and 24,917 in 2008/9. Despite this slight decline in total numbers, the male proportion remained relatively high at 26.9% and 26.2% respectively. Conversely, the Cambridge UCLES CELTA and other degrees category saw an increase in total qualifiers from 7,484 to 8,028. Notably, this category experienced the most significant drop in male participation, with the percentage of men falling from 17.3% to 12.1%.
In summary, while the overall volume of teacher training remained consistent, the gender gap widened, as the proportion of male qualifiers declined in both TEFL and Cambridge-related qualifications between 2007/8 and 2008/9.