4.2 Ethnic Differences Internal Factors Flashcards
What did Gillborn and Youdell 2000 find?
In one local education authority African Caribbean children were the highest achievers on entry to primary school yet by the time it came to GCSEs they had the worst results of any ethnic group. This suggests that internal factors of the education system itself might be playing a major part in producing ethnic differences in achievement
Labelling and teacher racism
Black pupils:
Gillborn 1990 and Gillborn and Youdell 2000 studied the labelling of black pupils found that teachers quicker to discipline black pupils became racialised expectations. They found that teachers expected black pupils to misbehave+misinterpret their behaviour. Teachers underestimated their ability which leads to racial stereotypes. This explains the high levels of exclusions- Bourne 1994 found schools tend to see black boys as a threat->negative label. Foster 1990 found labelling black students as badly behaved means being placed in lower set not based on ability->lower achievement.
Asian pupils:
Wright 1992 did a study in a multi ethnic primary school found that Asian pupils are also victims of labelling despite teachers claiming to be fair and equal. Still held ethnocentric views.
Left out Asian pupils by assuming their grasp at English was poor. Asian pupils became isolated as teachers disproved of their customs and often mispronounced their names. Seen as a problem to be ignored.
Fuller and Mac an Ghaill: rejecting negative labels
Fullers 1984 study of group of black girls in yr11 in a London comprehensive school:
-their girls were untypical as they were high achievers in a school where most black girls were in low streams.
- they did not seek the approval of teachers and regarded many as racist. They also did not limit their choice of friends and were still friends with other black girls from lower streams.
They showed a deliberate lack of concern for school routines did not rely on approval from teachers and relied on their own efforts and the impartiality of external exams.
They were able to maintain a positive self image by relying on their own efforts rather than accepting negative labels placed on them.
Negative labelling also does not always lead to failure these girls rejecting the keels placed on them and were determined to succeed there was no slef fulfilling prophecy.
Max an Ghails 1992 study of black and Asian a-level students reached similar conclusions:
Students sho believed teachers had negatively labelled them did not necessarily accept the label.
For example girls who had attended all girls schools has greater academic commitment that helped them overcome negative labels.
What did mirza 1992 find?
Studied ambitious black girls who faced teacher racism. However the girls jn the study failed to achieve their ambitions because their coping strategies restricted their opportunities+ resulted in underachievement.
What did Sewell study 1998?
Different groups and how they deal with school:
The rebels, the conformits, the retreatists and the innovators.
How did Troyna and Williams describe the curriculum?
Describe the curriculum in british schools as ethnocentric because it gives priority to white culture and the English language.
Why did Ball criticise the national curriculum?
For ignoring cultural + ethnic diversity e.g. history. Curriculum tried to recreate a mythical age of empire and oast glories while ignoring thr history of black and Asian pupils
What did Gillborn 1997 argue about marketisation?
Argues that marketisation has given school greater scope to select pupils and this outs some ethnic minority pupils at a disadvantage.
Why do moore and davenport 1990 support gillborns point ?
American study focuses on how selection procedures lead to ethnic segregation with minority pupils failing to get into better schools.
What does Evans 2006 argue?
Argues that to understand the relationship between ethnicity and achievement we need to look at how ethnicity interacts with gender and class. When looking at black children sociologists look at their culture and ethnicity but rarely at their class.
What did connolley 1998 study?
Study of 5+6 Yr olds in a multi ethnic inner city primary school. He shows how pupils and teachers construct masculinity differently depending on ethnicity
