Abstract
The most recently available data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority show that modern language provision in the Scottish further education sector is on the verge of a total collapse. Building on previous research by Doughty (2005) and Bourdieu’s concept of habitus this article shows how the self-perpetuating belief that ‘English is enough’ has unintentionally affected data that are used to inform the content of vocational qualifications. The taken-for-granted assumptions underlying the data collection methods are challenged and some alternative conceptualisations are proposed regarding the role of modern languages in vocational education and society.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 7-14 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Scottish Languages Review |
| Issue number | 23 |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Jun 2011 |
Keywords
- further education
- labour market surveys
- language statistics
- relevance
- habitus