Personal Life Perspective view of the family AQA Sociology A-level
AQA A-Level Sociology: The Personal Life Perspective and the Family (Paper 2)
This complete, high-challenge Sociology lesson unpacks the Personal Life Perspective (PLP) in an engaging, accessible, and evaluative way. Designed for AQA A-Level Paper 2 (Families and Households), the resources are ideal for either a first-teach double lesson or revision masterclass — fully differentiated and ready to go.
What students will do:
Explore the PLP view of the family and how it differs from structural theories (AO1)
Apply PLP ideas to real-life case studies of donor-conceived children and chosen families (AO2)
Evaluate the strengths and criticisms of the perspective, using quotes, dilemmas, and sociologists like Tipper, Smart, and Nordqvist (AO3)
What’s included in this download:
Editable, structured PowerPoint (Personal Life Perspective and Families)
Clear, concise explanations with application tasks, challenge questions, and interactionist contrasts.
Scaffolded worksheet (“Consolidation Challenge”)
Students explore emotional, social and legal dilemmas of donor families and write an AO2/3 mini-essay with guidance and quote unpacking.
Hinge Questions (MCQ)
Desirably difficult questions with plausible distractors — great for mini-whiteboards, AfL, or revision quizzes.
Thinking tasks and scenario sorting
Includes a challenging activity where students decide which people (e.g. fictive kin, pets, donors) count as family from a PLP vs structuralist view — brilliant for debate and deeper reflection.
AO1/AO2/AO3 Exam Link
Includes practice planning for a 10-marker:
“Outline and explain two ways the Personal Life Perspective views the family differently from other sociological theories.”
VIDEO LINKS INCASE THEY DONT WORK - https://youtu.be/cru6QtQu6nk
https://youtu.be/TjK0dbr7ReM?t=12
This lesson is:
Perfect for high-ability stretch with clear scaffolds for lower-ability support
Encourages independent thinking and debate
Builds clear conceptual understanding of PLP vs structural theories
Integrates videos, quotes, and contemporary case studies
Whether you’re teaching this for the first time or need a fresh take for revision season, this lesson delivers high engagement, deep thinking, and brilliant outcomes.
Easy to adapt. Fully editable. No textbook needed.