Item D: In the 1970s sociologist Paul Willis observed a group of working class students who rejected school and all its values and who wanted to leave school
as soon as they could. The students in this group were described by Willis as
the 'lads' and their behaviour was compared to the conformist students or
'ear'oles' (referred to as such because they listened to the teacher): 'During
films in the hall they tie the projector leads into impossible knots, make animal
shapes on the screen with their fingers, and gratuitously dig and jab at the
backs of the 'ear'oles' In front of them.' 'There is a continuous scraping of chairs,
a bad tempered 'tut-tutting' at the simplest request from the teacher, and a
continuous fidgeting which explores every permutation of sitting or lying on a
chair.' Willis used both non-participant and participant observation in class and
around the school, in his attempt to understand the experience of schooling
from the perspective of the students.
From Item D, identify and describe the research method used by Willis
including what you know of his perspective on education (4 marks).
What answer