Session 1: Measuring social class
Learning objectives – what is your target?
(D-E) Explain what social class is and state a way of measuring it
(C)
Describe two different methods for measuring social class
(A*-B) Be able to explain and critique (evaluate) different methods for
measuring social class
Starter – Complete this 4 mark question:
“Explain what sociologists mean by social class.”
Remember the structure:
1) Basic definition
2) Full explanation of term
3) Give example
4) Explain example
n.B We will do this again later to
compare your progress
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
Classes in the
UK
Upper class
Middle class
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
Working class
Underclass?
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
Class according to Karl
Marx
Upper class
Working class
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
Registrar General’s scale
I Professional occupations
II Managerial
III (N) Skilled non manual
III (M) Skilled manual
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
IV Partly skilled
V Unskilled
This was used by the government until
1998
Old method
Activity - Put the following jobs in the correct category
according to the registrar general’s scale – use p.286 to help
you.
Office cleaner
Doctor’s
Receptionist
Biology teacher
Farmer
Unemployed
Bus driver
Car mechanic
Solicitor
Extension: Can you spot any problems with this using this scale? Why do you
think the government stopped using it after 1998?
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
Registrar general’s
scale
Professional occupations
Managerial
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
Solicitors,
surgeons,
architects
Teachers, nurses,
pilots
Skilled non manual
Secretary/receptionists
Skilled manual
Bus driver, electrician,
hairdresser, mechanics
Partly skilled
Postal worker,
bartenders,
caretaker
Refuse collectors,
cleaners
Unskilled
What are the problems with
using
Problem’s with the Registrar General’s scale
1) Doesn’t include groups such as…
Students, retired, unemployed…
2) Married women were classed as….
the same as their husbands…
3) Doesn’t reflect other factors such as…
Wealth, status, property…
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
NS-SEC class
scale
Higher managerial
Higher professional
Lower managerial
Intermediate
Employers (in small businesses)
Lower supervisory & technical
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
Semi routine
Routine
Never worked & long term
unemployed
Solicitor
Teachers
Secretaries
Farmers
Car mechanic
Bus driver
Cleaner
Unemployed
Activity - Now try to match up the jobs from before to this new scale.
Extension – Can you spot any problems with this scale?
Put the following job in the correct category according to the NSSEC scale – use p.287 to help you.
Office cleaner
Doctor’s
Receptionist
Biology teacher
Farmer
Unemployed
Bus driver
Car mechanic
Solicitor
More power,
wealth,
income and
status
NS-SEC class
scale
Higher managerial
solicitor
Higher managerial
Lower managerial
Intermediate
Employers
Lower supervisory
Less power,
wealth,
income and
status
Semi routine
Routine
Never worked
teachers
secretaries
farmers
Car mechanic
Bus driver
cleaner
Unemployed
Why is this better than the Register general’s
scale?
Advantages of NS-SEC scale
Includes whole population
Reflects levels of authority
These all mean the same
1) Describe one way the government could measure
social class and explain how it may be
problematic. (5)
2) Describe one way the government could measure
social class and explain how it may not be
accurate. (5)
3) Describe one way in which social class can be
measured explain problems with this method(5)
4) Describe one way in which social class can be
classified and explain problems with this way of
classifying people (5)
Describe one way of measuring social class and
explain how accurate this measurement is. (5)
One way could be using the registrar
general’s scale
For example a surgeon is upper class
professional
They are not accurate because people
may have a professional job but not a
lot of money.
This means that it doesn’t take into
account other factors.
For example a newly qualified surgeon
may still be paying off university debt
which means that he does not have the
wealth or status of most upper classes
2/2
Identify
3/3
Explain
5/5
Plenary
Learning objectives – what is your target?
(D-E) Explain what social class is and state a way of measuring it
(C)
Describe two different methods for measuring social class
(A*-B) Be able to explain and critique (evaluate) different methods for
measuring social class
Using the learning objectives, explain which
grade you think you have achieved and why.
Session 2 – Social class and Life chances
Learning objectives – what is your target?
(D-E) Define the terms social class and life chances
(C)
Identify links between social class and life chances
(A*-B) Explain sociologists’ views on class and life chances
Starter – Complete this 4 mark question again now that you
can add a more full explanation (i.e. how it is measured)
“Explain what sociologists mean by social class”
Remember the structure:
1) Basic definition (what it means)
2) Full explanation of term (e.g. can you explain how social class is measured?
3) Give example
4) Explain example
Paired work
You have 30 minutes to prepare an answer to the following
question.
“Discuss how far sociologists would agree that social
class is the most important factor when determining a
person’s life chances. (12 marks)
Hints
• All the information you need is on pages 282-284 – but
you’ll have to find it and interpret it
• Use the writing frame as a guide
• Don’t forget the extensions.
Discuss how far sociologists would agree that social
class is the most important factor in determining life
chances. (12 marks)
10-12
•Evidence of clear understanding shown through developed use of relevant
sociological concepts and/or ideas
•Well-focused discussion which explicitly and in detail addresses ‘how far’.
•Spell, punctuate and use grammar with considerable accuracy
•Use wide range of specialist terms
7-9
• Evidence of a more developed level of understanding of the relevant sociology (i.e.
link between social class and life chances).
•Evidence that the candidate recognises ‘how far’ eg via a less-developed or more
limited use of the sociological examples in the 10–12 band descriptor.
•Spell, punctuate and use grammar accurately
•Good range of specialist terms
4-6
•Some use/understanding of relevant sociological concepts (eg definition of social
class and life chances) and/or ideas (eg those from Marxist and Functionalist
perspectives), though focus may not be consistent and the quality/range of the
material may be limited.
•No response to ‘how far’.
•Spell, punctuate and use grammar with some accuracy.
•Limited specialist terms.
Session 3: Does social class still matter?
Learning objectives – what is your target?
(D-E) Identify two reasons why social class may be hard to define
(C)
Explain why it may be argued the social class is less important today
(A*-B) Evaluate whether social class is still relevant today
Starter – Explain which social class each of these people
belong to. If you have any difficulty, explain why!
2) Lord Alan Sugar
(from the Apprentice)
4) School child
1) Duchess of
Cambridge (nee
Kate Middleton)
3) Unemployed jobseeker
So what were the
problems with this
task?
Do we live in a classless society?
“Class was a staple part of the British way of life. Each class had unique
characteristics. The upper class had stately homes, aristocratic
backgrounds and posh accents; the middle class, semi detached houses,
suits and bowler hats; the working class, common accents, fish and chips
and council flats. This produced a society divided between Use” (the
workers) and “Them” (the rich and the bosses). Pubs always had a public
bar and a lounge. Even railway carriages were divided into First, Second
and Third class compartments.” McDonough (2002)
Think/Pair/Share
Do you think this
statement is accurate?
Why? Why not?
Extension: Does this statement
sound Marxist or Functionalist?
Why?
Independent work:
1)
a)
b)
c)
d)
Read pages 322 – 323
Explain why can it be argued that the working class has shrunk.
Explain why it can be argued that social class identities have
weakened.
Identify 3 other factors might we identify as important to our
identity other than social class.
Identify the 4 other social factors that Saunders thinks are
important in addition to social class.
2) Read page 324
a)
Choose 3 of the bullet points that you think are the most important
and copy them into your book (evidence for 12 mark Qs)
3) Read page 325
a)
Summarise each sociologist’s view on whether class still matters:
(i) Roberts (2001)
(ii) Furlong et al (2006)
(iii) Curtice & Heath (2009)
All
Most
Extension: Answer the stretch and challenge question on page 325
Some
“Fifty years ago there was an almost official and agreed class ranking, and
everyone knew where they were located. That has completely gone now.
Whereas once it would have been straightforwardly, objectively wrong for someone
in a middle-class profession to think of themselves as working class, that’s not
necessarily true now. These aren’t terms that have an agreed meaning any more.”
Decca Aitkenhead, The Guardian, 2007
Key term
Subjective status/class = the status/class someone would identify themselves as.
Starter
1) Summarise this extract in your own words
(using the new keyword)
2) Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Why?
Homework due Monday
“Discuss to what extent sociologists would
agree that social class is less significant
now than 50 years ago.” (12 marks)