The Gendered Subject: Students' subject preferences and discussions of gender and subject ability

Abstract

Girls have recently caught up with boys in the sciences in terms of achievements at GCSE, and continue to out-perform boys at languages at this level. However, there remains a sharp divergence in subject choice according to gender at A level and beyond. This paper seeks to discover whether or not there has been a shift in secondary school students' constructions of gender, school subjects, and subject ability. It examines the responses of secondary school students concerning their favourite, and least favourite, subjects according to gender. It also explores their statements concerning gender and ability at school subjects, analysing the various gender narratives reflected in these. It is argued that there has sometimes been a blurring of the gender dichotomy in terms of students' favourite subjects, although their least favourite subjects were more traditionally gendered. Moreover, the majority of students claimed that the sexes have the same ability at all subjects; and of those who argued there are gender differences in ability, the majority argued that girls have greater ability at various subjects.