Gender patterns

• Factors outside of school contributing to gender patterns in subject choice (Wider society/home life)
• Early socialisation


  • Young children are channelled towards gender stereotyped behaviours eg. toys given (canalisation)
• Gendered career choices (sex-typing)


  • Children have beliefs about gender domains' where they see certain activities as male or female 'territory'
• Factors inside of school contributing to gender patterns in subject choice (School system/teachers/pupils)
• Peer pressure


  • Subjects outside traditional domains avoided due to ridicule
• Gendered subject images


  • Science-boys due to male teachers and laboratories
  • Computer science- boys as working independently with machines
• Evaluation


  • Policies- GIST/WISE to encourage girls into science
  • Playing for success to improve boys' literacy
  • Reduction of stereotypes in textbooks