Class And Subject Choice

Question 1

The status of vocational courses

Answer 1

Vocational courses are given a low status as it Leads to low paying jobs. This means wc pupils are more likely to be pushed towards these courses as they are more likely to perform the manual jobs in society. Marxists believe vocational courses is second rate education for the wc as it produces passive workers

Question 2

Evaluation of status of vocational courses

Answer 2

Functionalists would argue that we need vocational courses as society needs people to go straight into certain jobs.

Question 3

Cultural attitudes of parents

Answer 3

The attitudes of the WC and MC result from the different nature of manual and non manual jobs. Mc prioritise jobs that need planning for the future whereas ex want jobs that offer immidiate gratification. This means wc students are more likely to aspire to have manual jobs and therefore choose vocational subjects to start their career and income quicker

Question 4

Evaluation of cultural attitudes of parents

Answer 4

This is supported by a report showing that fewer than 5% of students are classified as being from disadvantaged white backgrounds

Question 5

Teacher labelling

Answer 5

Teachers tend to label the wc negatively and this reunite in them becoming low achievers and falling into a self fulfilling prophecy. As proven by Willis study. This means that ex students are pushed more towards vocational courses and manual labour rather than qualifications that gain uni access.

Question 6

Evaluation of teacher labelling

Answer 6

This results in setting and streaming when wc are out into lower sets which limits their achievement resulting in them not being able to pursue more academic subjects