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Original post by Octopus_Garden
*shrugs*

It's something that interests people. And it's easy to show. If they tried to do it by region, which is what I always want to be spoonfed, the table would probably take up an entire broadsheet. Which would be unfortunate, because the Guardian isn't a broadsheet newspaper anymore! So they make me look, for that.

It is interesting to see the gender variations in take-up, though.


Geography is always near 50-50 for some reason :tongue:


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Original post by thatitootoo
Geography is always near 50-50 for some reason :tongue:


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C'est intéressant!

Je trouve que la géographie est ni une matière traditionnellement masculine ni une matière traditionnellement féminine. Qu'est-ce que vous pensez?

That's interesting.

I think that geography is neither a traditionally male or traditionally female subject. What do you think?


For most of them, I am sort of aware of stereotypes, which actually chime with the actual predominate sex in the statistics. But I have no idea for Geography.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by Octopus_Garden
C'est intéressant!

Je trouve que la géographie est ni une matière traditionnellement masculine ni une matière traditionnellement féminine. Qu'est-ce que vous pensez?

That's interesting.

I think that geography is neither a traditionally male or traditionally female subject. What do you think?


For most of them, I am sort of aware of stereotypes, which actually chime with the actual predominate sex in the statistics. But I have no idea for Geography.


À mon avis...

Maths: Male
Sciences: Male (generally)
English: Female
History: Female
Geography: Male
Languages: Female
Art: Female
Business Studies: Male
Economics: Male
Religious Studies: Female
Philosophy: Female
Psychology: Female
Sociology: Female

Disagree with any?
Original post by Octopus_Garden
I do entirely agree that it is underhand to get a university place under false pretences.

I think cohort-referencing needs looking at. It's a sight better than norm-referencing was, but the smaller the cohort becomes, the more skewed it becomes. For comparison, A-level Maths had 86,000 candidates last August, A-level German had around 5,000.


I'm wondering whether there is any way at all that that number can be raised without compulsion. There is large monolingual sentiment in this country because we can get away with it (even if the papers constantly go on about how important Chinese apparently will be in x amount of years time), and 15 year olds constantly say 'but when is X ever going to be useful to me?' as an excuse not to learn. Abroad kids are indoctrinated with 'ENGLISH IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO YOUR VERY LIVELIHOOD SO BLOOMING LEARN IT!!!', and they do - they also have the incentive of understanding the culture that we and America export around the world, especially in music. In contrast, do we see English teens getting all jittery about a new 'Zaz'/'La Oreja de Van Gogh'/'Juli' album, or a new series of 'Verbotene Liebe' or whatever being shown here? No.
Original post by Octopus_Garden
C'est intéressant!

Je trouve que la géographie est ni une matière traditionnellement masculine ni une matière traditionnellement féminine. Qu'est-ce que vous pensez?

That's interesting.

I think that geography is neither a traditionally male or traditionally female subject. What do you think?


For most of them, I am sort of aware of stereotypes, which actually chime with the actual predominate sex in the statistics. But I have no idea for Geography.


Jaaa sicher!
Maybe the fact that A-level geography has an equal split of Physical/Human is relevant? I dunno..:tongue:


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Original post by L'Evil Fish
À mon avis...

Maths: Male
Sciences: Male (generally)
English: Female
History: Female
Geography: Male
Languages: Female
Art: Female
Business Studies: Male
Economics: Male
Religious Studies: Female
Philosophy: Female
Psychology: Female
Sociology: Female

Disagree with any?

I'd break the sciences down.
Physics: male!
Chemistry: not sure? Both
Biology: mixed, but more female than male
Philosophy: I think I subconsciously see this one as male.
Geography: unisex
Religious Studies: people who like writing essays!
Original post by Octopus_Garden
I'd break the sciences down.
Physics: male!
Chemistry: not sure? Both
Biology: mixed, but more female than male
Philosophy: I think I subconsciously see this one as male.
Geography: unisex
Religious Studies: people who like writing essays!


I didn't split up sciences because I didn't know where to have chemistry! As a future chemist myself :mmm: I'd say female though for that one!
Geography I associate with male moreso than female but not by much... I think human+physical geography you see a split!
Original post by constantmeowage
I'm wondering whether there is any way at all that that number can be raised without compulsion. There is large monolingual sentiment in this country because we can get away with it (even if the papers constantly go on about how important Chinese apparently will be in x amount of years time), and 15 year olds constantly say 'but when is X ever going to be useful to me?' as an excuse not to learn. Abroad kids are indoctrinated with 'ENGLISH IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO YOUR VERY LIVELIHOOD SO BLOOMING LEARN IT!!!', and they do - they also have the incentive of understanding the culture that we and America export around the world, especially in music. In contrast, do we see English teens getting all jittery about a new 'Zaz'/'La Oreja de Van Gogh'/'Juli' album, or a new series of 'Verbotene Liebe' or whatever being shown here? No.
I have no idea, but...

I think that the e-bacc might raise it a bit. That's a load of 14 year-olds being forced to give it a try, who otherwise wouldn't have done, and thus wouldn't have found out how wonderful languages are!
Original post by L'Evil Fish
I didn't split up sciences because I didn't know where to have chemistry! As a future chemist myself :mmm: I'd say female though for that one!
Geography I associate with male moreso than female but not by much... I think human+physical geography you see a split!
Oooh, languages. All female, except German, which tilts just into masculinity!
Original post by Octopus_Garden
Oooh, languages. All female, except German, which tilts just into masculinity!


I was about to say that :naughty:

So I have:
Maths,f.maths,physics,French,Geography,Chemistry,history

4 male
3 female

Ish :tongue:
Original post by L'Evil Fish
I was about to say that :naughty:

So I have:
Maths,f.maths,physics,French,Geography,Chemistry,history

4 male
3 female

Ish :tongue:
Congratulations on picking subjects for yourself, and ignoring the little voice in your head! :biggrin:
*assumes L'Evil Fish did*
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 791
Original post by Octopus_Garden
The other thing, of course, is: what are A-levels for? If we assume that their only function is as elite entrance tests for university, then perhaps we should be blocking native speakers. But are they?

I admit that is their main use, but people take them for other reasons. An A-level certifies that you have reached a certain level of knowledge. People study for: the learning experience itself; for their CV, regardless of whether they plan to go to university. The native speaker has just as much of a need for a reputable, easily-understood certificate proving they can speak a language when they apply for a job as anyone else.
Don't most languages have international proficiency tests which might be more suitable than A-levels for demonstrating proficiency?
Original post by Octopus_Garden
I have no idea, but...

I think that the e-bacc might raise it a bit. That's a load of 14 year-olds being forced to give it a try, who otherwise wouldn't have done, and thus wouldn't have found out how wonderful languages are!


But they've been subjected to three years of languages at KS3 already. When Labour made it so GCSE Languages were optional in around 2004 or whatever, numbers dropped massively. Their poor experiences of language instruction at KS3 had turned them away, and I really don't think that anything as changed in our attitudes towards it since then. :frown: Somewhat sad. :frown:
Reply 793
Original post by Kolya
Don't most languages have international proficiency tests which might be more suitable than A-levels for demonstrating proficiency?

Yarp.
Original post by Octopus_Garden
Congratulations on picking subjects for yourself, and ignoring the little voice in your head! :biggrin:
*assumes L'Evil Fish did*


What little voice?:mmm:
Original post by Kolya
Don't most languages have international proficiency tests which might be more suitable than A-levels for demonstrating proficiency?
Probably, yes. But if anyone applies for a non-language related job, or even a language-related job with non-specialised recruitment processes*, A-level French is comprehended more widely than DELF B1.

*I actually applied for a language-related position. I have my languages with CEFR for Languages ratings on my CV (and I detail what it stands for), and the recruiter called me back to ask what level each language was at, and what they meant!
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by constantmeowage
But they've been subjected to three years of languages at KS3 already. When Labour made it so GCSE Languages were optional in around 2004 or whatever, numbers dropped massively. Their poor experiences of language instruction at KS3 had turned them away, and I really don't think that anything as changed in our attitudes towards it since then. :frown: Somewhat sad. :frown:
Nothing has changed in our attitudes, nope! I'm just sort of hopeful that some children will choose to do A-level after a quasi-compulsory key stage 4, that would otherwise have dropped it after keystage 3. Even though my hope is not borne out by the data from 2003...

This is A-levels 2003.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2003/aug/14/alevels2003.alevels1
Original post by L'Evil Fish
What little voice?:mmm:
Turn round quickly, and see if you can see it?:cool:
Original post by Octopus_Garden
Turn round quickly, and see if you can see it?:cool:


I just clicked my neck :unimpressed:

With regards to people actually choosing French A Level...

In year nine I convinced a group of people to pick French!

These are their predicted grades now:
A*
A/A*
U
U
C

:mmm:

Now of those, which are/is male and female?

And which want to do French A Level? (one of them I've convinced to do it :colone: because they want to do journalism and I said it'd be really really good for them)
Original post by L'Evil Fish
I just clicked my neck :unimpressed:

With regards to people actually choosing French A Level...

In year nine I convinced a group of people to pick French!

These are their predicted grades now:
A*
A/A*
U
U
C

:mmm:

Now of those, which are/is male and female?

And which want to do French A Level? (one of them I've convinced to do it :colone: because they want to do journalism and I said it'd be really really good for them)
Keine Ahnung.
Je ne sais pas.

But the U students must really resent you!

I know not to apply even actual statistics to individuals!:tongue:
(edited 10 years ago)

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