Social Studies English and English Literature and Culture

If we consider the number of students who chose International English at Vg2 level in 2008-2009, and compare that figure to the number of students who elected either Social Studies English or English Literature and Culture in Vg3 in 2009-2010, we can estimate approximately how many students choose full in-depth studies in English. It will not be exactly the same students included in both numbers, as some students drop out of school, while others return, but it should provide a fairly accurate estimate. Table 2.5 below provides the information (Skoleporten, n.d.).

Table 2.5 A table presenting an estimation of the percentage of students who chose International English in Vg2 and went on to study one of the subsequent English subjects in Vg3

Subject Number

International English Vg2 (08-09) 7830

Social Studies English or English Literature and Culture Vg3 (09-10)

5808

Percentage of students choose Vg2 and Vg3 74 %

* Source: Skoleporten, n.d

Table 2.5 indicates that roughly 3/4 of students who choose International English in Vg2, continue with one of the two Vg3 English subjects. It should be noted, however, that this table has not taken into consideration the possibility that some students follow both Social Studies English and English Literature and Culture. Even though this is a valid combination of programme subjects, there are few students who opt for this solution. In addition, the table

does not include pupils who chose International English in Vg1, or pupils who choose one of the two Vg3-courses in Vg1 or Vg2. However, there are very few students who do so (see table 2.2a), and excluding these pupils should not greatly distort the statistics.

In other words, approximately 3/4 of students who study International English in Vg2 carry on with Vg3 English. Table 2.6 below, shows the percentage of all students specialising in General Studies who choose full English in-depth studies at the county level (Skoleporten, n.d). Møre- og Romsdal figures on top of this table, as approximately 1/3 of the students in this county chose English both in Vg2 and Vg3. The county with the lowest percentage of students studying English both in Vg2 and Vg3 was Østfold, where only 1/5 of the students did so. Rogaland, Hedmark, Oslo and Nordland present only marginally higher numbers of students choosing full in-depth studies of English. On the whole though, the geographical variations must be said to be quite small.

Table 2.6 A table showing the percentage of the total amount of students specialising in General Studies registered as studying either Social Studies English or English Literature and Culture in 2009-2010, distributed by county

Counties % of relevant students registered as having

studied either Social Studies English or English Literature and Culture (2009-2010)

When calculating the mean percentage of students in our 19 counties who chose full in-depth studies in English, we find that 26 %, or slightly more than one in four of all relevant students, did so. At country level, i.e. without first grouping by county, the mean is slightly lower, with approximately 24 % of students studying one of the two Vg3 English programme subjects in 2009-2010 (5808 out of 23 982 students). In comparison, 9076 out of 23982

relevant students, or nearly 38%, were registered as studying either of the two Vg3 Mathematics subjects (Mathematics R2 or Mathematics S2) in the same school year (Skoleporten, n.d).

As displayed in table 2.2a above, there have been greater numbers of students choosing Social Studies English than English Literature and Culture during the previous school years. It could therefore be interesting to look more closely at the differences in student numbers between the two subjects at county-level. Table 2.7 displays an overview of the percentage of students, divided by county, who were registered as studying the two English Vg3 subjects in 2009-2010.

Table 2.7 A table showing the share of students, in percent, of the total student mass who studied a) Social Studies English and b) English Literature and Culture in 2009-2010, divided by county

Counties Social Studies English (% of all relevant students)

Counties English Literature and Culture (% of all relevant students)

As we can see, the percentage of students studying Social Studies English in 2009-2010 varies from 11 % in Nord-Trøndelag to 22 % in Møre - og Romsdal. The average is 18 %. In comparison, the average percentage of students studying English Literature and Culture in Vg3 is only 8 %.

It is interesting to note that even though Nord-Trøndelag has the lowest percentage of students choosing Social Studies English, it figures on top when it comes to English

Literature and Culture, with 13 % of all relevant students choosing this subject. It is also the only county with more students choosing to study English Literature and Culture than Social Studies English. In comparison, Østfold is the county where the lowest percentage of students choose English Literature and Culture, with less than 2 % of the relevant students.

However, only two out of eight schools offering specialisation in General Studies taught English Literature and Culture in Østfold in 2009-2010, which may at least to some extent explain the modest portion of students choosing this subject.

2.5 Summing up

To summarise, the data presented in this chapter has shown that approximately 1/3 of all students specialising in General Studies choose International English in Vg2. Very few students study this subject in Vg1, and only some students choose to study it in Vg3. In fact, the latter group has decreased by 31 % from 2008-2009 to 2009-2010.

This chapter has also shown that 3/4 of the students who choose International English in Vg2 continue studying English in Vg3. All in all, about 1/4 of all students specialising in General Studies choose English both in Vg2 and in Vg3. Of the Vg3 English programme subjects Social Studies English is the most commonly studied of the two, and it is also more commonly taught than English Literature and Culture. The gap between the two subjects have increased quite dramatically from 2008-2009 to 2009-2010, and due to the discrepancy in student numbers it seems fair to suggest that English Literature and Culture is a less conventional choice than Social Studies English.

As mentioned, approximately 1/3 of all students specialising in General Studies choose to study at least one English programme subject, which means that approximately 2/3 of all students never study any English programme subjects. This thesis is not only concerned with reasons why the English programme subjects are chosen, but also with reasons why they are not. Therefore, one whole chapter, Ch.6 Results B, is dedicated to examining the questionnaire response pertaining to reasons for not choosing English. Focusing both on why English is chosen and why it is not should help improve our understanding of subject choice, as it focuses on aspects both in favour of, and against, choosing English. This should illuminate the deliberations students make when choosing their subjects. Before examining this, however, in the next chapter I include a more theoretical approach to subject choice, conceptualised through a review of motivation theory.

3. Theory