English Career Resources

Key Stage 4: Stereotypes

Teacher instructions

Students should be placed in mixed sex, mixed ability groups (even within a set), preferably not friendship groups (as many students will bow to the pressure of their peers in a friendship context and this task is meant to allow them to explore their ideas comfortably). Groups of three or four are best depending upon class size and ability levels. If you think students will choose not to take part then use threes; if you believe they will engage then groups of four often allows a better discussion to take place. You will have to judge it depending on your class and context.

• Give out Worksheet 1 (PDF) and give students 5-10 minutes (depending on your lesson timings) to rank order the jobs in terms of status. You can leave this to prior knowledge, or lead the students to think about particular characters in texts if you prefer.
  
  
• The teacher should lead a short discussion of choices with explanations as to why those choices were made. Depending on the ability level of the student, challenge the answer they give and ensure their answers are fully developed.
  
  
• Give out Student Instruction Sheet 1 (PDF) and Worksheet 2 (PDF). Students then write stereotypical attributes they believe go with a job – i.e. they might put 'talented' for footballer or 'poor' for a dustbin man, etc.
  
  
• Another short discussion should now take place as to the type of words students have used. If you want a more interactive approach, get students to write their words on 'post its', put enlarged images on the board and allow students to stick their words next to the appropriate picture before your discussion.
  
  
• Give out Worksheet 3 (PDF) and get students to fill in the questionnaire individually. This allows them to show to what extreme they think ideas about school exist. Next share ideas with a partner/ three before the teacher leads a short group discussion on their ideas. Teachers must be prepared to challenge assumptions and lead the discussion into an acceptable format. It might be challenging for students to think outside their own family circumstances or ideas and this session should not turn into a negative forum.
  
  
• Give out Student Instruction Sheet 2 (PDF) and Worksheet 4 (PDF). In groups students discuss the type of people they want to be friends. It should expand also on their attitudes to learning and will again challenge their stereotypes of learning. The teacher should then lead a discussion (again focusing sensibly on ideas and encouraging positivity) about students' ideas and how they chose them.
  
  
• Give out Worksheet 5 (PDF). Now in groups students match the stereotypical characters from Worksheet 4 with the jobs on Worksheets 1 and 2 by following the instructions on the sheet.
  
  
• If required, an En1 grade can be given for the above, but instead of a final discussion, the teacher at this point might get students (in their groups) to do a formal presentations about the reasons for their decisions on Worksheet 5 and these could be formally graded.

Remember Student Instruction Sheets are optional and can be done purely by teacher talk if you have mainly aural learners. Alternatively they can be projected onto a whiteboard either with an OHP or computer system.