How has levels of education and pedagogical differentiation resulted in the lack of political engagement from working-class adolescents?
What has always existed throughout politics is a hierarchy, one that inhibits the working classes political engagement whilst, working to benefit the middle-class in many ways. When referring to the working-class I am discussing a ‘social group consisting of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work’ (Oxford Dictionaries | English, 2018). However, the middle-class in this context is ‘the social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business people and their families’ (Oxford Dictionaries | English, 2018). The hierarchy that exists in society between these two social groups, paves the way for democracy in the UK to continuously be divided. Social scientist suggests this divide could be down to numerous elements in the political realm. However, I will be discussing two elements that I believe are fundamental to adolescent’s political engagement, the first being ‘access to political learning and effectiveness in the form of learning in reducing inequalities in political engagement’ (Hoskins, Janmaat and Melis, 2017:1).
The first element that could explain why working-class adolescents may vote less, can be educational trajectories in up to level 2 of vocational education that are making the youth feel powerless, unskilled and alienated. Although, it can be said that a vocational educational system is good for young people’s integration into the labour market, the institutional structure that is divided into levels of individual abilities, makes it likely that those in lower levels acquire fewer skills on numerous premises.
According to Van De Werfhorst (2017) those in vocational forms often obtain fewer general skills that are important for civic participation, such as literacy and communicative skills but also, vocational forms of schooling are designed to prepare students for work through the provision of work-relevant skills, leaving less room for citizenship classes. (Van De Werfhorst, 2017:4). Placing adolescents into forms based upon abilities are leaving many in lower levels of vocational education thus, recreating and reproducing socioeconomic inequalities through the education system. Subsequently, adolescents are taking a step back from conventional politics, and using alternative forms of political engagement more. As shown in the table below only 45% of those in vocational level 2 in comparison to a whopping 70% of level 3 academics voted in the 2010 election (see table below) thus the level of vocational education does effect voter turnout.
Figures taken from Hoskins and Janmaat (2016)
There are other possible correlations that would indicate a connection between social class, education and lack of adolescent political engagement. I might mention that there are other socioeconomic factors that would limit the working classes political engagement such as, pre-school socialization however, schooling plays a fundamental role in shaping political attitudes and what critical skills you take with you into the labour market, hence my focus on education. Whilst level of education is significant, it is also imperative to acknowledge the effects of the type of education individuals have in terms of pedagogical differentiation rather than curriculum-based disparities. According to Hoskins, ‘pedagogical approaches focused on learning through interaction, debate and identity formation within communities such as a school or a class within the school have, for instance, been associated with the process of becoming an engaged citizen’ (Hoskins and Janmaat, 2016:7).
Pedagogical differentiation has a vital role to play on disparities across social, ethnic, and gender divides rather than simply educational attainment. For instance, ‘ability grouping has the effect of assigning children of disadvantaged social and ethnic backgrounds disproportionately to low status (pre-)vocational tracks’ (Janmaat and Mons, 2011:5). Naturally this would result in significantly higher levels of alienation and lower levels of civic mindedness than the more privileged groups taught in high-status tracks. This segregation could explain the lack of knowledge and engagement with electoral politics, coming from lower classes and the less educated as indicated in the voter turnout in the EU referendum by social class and education. Figures showed that 65% of semi and unskilled manual workers, casual or non-state workers and 68% of non-qualified individuals voted to leave (IPSOS Mori, 2016) (see table below). However, although the voter turnout to leave was high in lower classes and even higher at 79% in upper classes, less individuals from socioeconomic backgrounds belonging to DE, possess the means to be registered to vote such as, community networking and higher education, in comparison to upper classes hence the percentage representation.
Figures taken from IPSOS Mori (2009 & 2016)
Pedagogical differentiation also means that pupils in academic tracks are likely to receive qualitatively different and more intensive education in civics and social affairs than those in vocational tracks (Janmaat and Mons, 2011:5). I experienced this myself in secondary school when only white middle-class academics would be chosen for political affairs such as, debate clubs and student council.
Indeed, there is socioeconomic inequalities within the education system that calls for major changes in the levels and types of education adolescents receive. We must move towards teaching ALL adolescents how to vote and what effects voting has on their futures. Most importantly let us acknowledge what difference it could make for all adolescents from a variety of backgrounds to be given equal power, skills and opportunities to take a poticial stand in society starting now!
Word count without references: 857
Bibliography
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