boys underachievement

Question 1

4 reasons for boys underachievement

Answer 1

1. ‘Laddish’ subcultures - I
2. Poorer literacy skills - E
3. Decline of traditional male jobs - E
4. Feminisation of education - I

Question 2

laddish subcultures

Answer 2

• Epstein - Working class boys are likely to be harassed, labelled as sissies or gay and given verbal abuse if they appear to be ‘swots’ so they tend to reject schoolwork.
• More likely to be negatively labelled as in working class culture, masculinity is equated with being tough and doing manual work. Non-manual work (schoolwork) is seen as effeminate and inferior.
• Boys so avoidant of such labels as it threatens their masculinity

Question 3

poorer literacy skills

Answer 3

1. Parents spend less time reading to sons.
2. Mums do the reading so it may be viewed as a feminine activity.
3. Boys’ leisure pursuits, eg. football, do little to develop language and communication skills.

Question 4

decline in traditional male jobs

Answer 4

Traditional male jobs include manual labour, heavy industry- globalisation led to the decline of traditional male jobs as mass production jobs have moved to other countries, for example in India and China.

Mitsos and Browne - Many boys now believe they have little prospect of getting a proper job. This undermines their motivation and self esteem so they give up trying for qualifications.

However those traditional male jobs (manual labour) don’t require any qualifications in the first place.

Question 5

feminisation of education

Answer 5

Sewell - boys fall behind because education has become ‘feminised’ - they do not nurture masculine traits, such as competitiveness and leadership. They celebrate qualities more closely associated with girls, such as methodical working and attentiveness in class

However, policies have been put in place to boost boys achievement, for ex the Raising Boys’ Achievement Project