Cultural Deprivation theory in ethnic differences in achievement Flashcards
How do cultural deprivation theorists see the lack of intellectual and linguistic skills?
a major cause of underachievement for many minority children
What do cultural deprivation theorists argue that low-income black families lack?
intellectual stimulation and enriching experiences
What does this leave these low-income black families to be?
Poorly equipped for school because they have not been able to develop reasoning and problem-solving skills
What do Bereiter and Engelmann consider about the language spoken by low-income black American families ?
Inadequate for educational success
They see it as ungrammatical, disjointed and incapable of expressing abstract ideas
Which pupils did Gillborn and Mirza note do very well despite often not having English as their home language?
Indian pupils
How do cultural deprivation theorists see lack of motivation?
A major cause of the failure of many black children
What does socialising children into mainstream culture instil?
- ambition
-competitiveness and willingness to make sacrifices necessary to achieve long-term goals
Therefore equipping them for success in education
How do cultural deprivation theorists argue some black children are socialised ?
Some black children are socialised into a subculture that instils a fatalistic, ‘live for today’ attitude that does not value education and leaves them unequipped for success
What do cultural deprivation theorists argue that this failure to socialise children adequately is the result of?
A dysfunctional family structure
What did Moynihan argue?
children from many black families that are headed by lone mothers are deprived of adequate care because she had to struggle financially in the absence of a male breadwinner
What does the father’s absence also mean?
Boys lack an adequate role model of male achievement
How does Moynihan see cultural deprivation?
A cycle where inadequately socialised children from unstable families go on to fail at school and become inadequate parents themselves
What does Murray argue that a high rate of lone parenthood and a lack of positive male role models lead to?
the underachievement of some minorities
What does Scruton see the low achievement levels of some ethnic minorities as result of?
A failure to embrace mainstream British Culture
What does Pryce claim from a comparison of black and Asian pupils?
Asians are higher achievers because their culture is more resistant to racism and gives them a greater sense of self-worth compared to black Caribbean culture which he believes is less cohesive and less resistant to racism
What did Pryce argue that the difference is the result of?
Differing impacts of colonialism in the two groups. Being transported and sold into slavery meant that blacks lost their language, religion and entire family system. Asian family structures, languages and religions were not destroyed by colonial rule
What does Sewell argue?
That it is not the absence of fathers as role models that lead to black boys underachieving. Instead, he believes that a lack of fatherly nurturing or ‘tough love ‘ is the problem. This results in black boys finding it hard to overcome the emotional and behavioural difficulties of adolescence
What happens in the absence of a restraining influence of a nurturing father according to Sewell?
Street gangs of other fatherless boys offer black boys ‘perverse loyalty and love’. These present boys with a media inspired role model of anti-school black masculinity, whose ideal Arnot describes as ‘the ultra-tough ghetto superstar, reinforced through rap lyrics and MTV videos’
What did most academically successful black boys that were interviewed by Sewell say was the greatest barrier to success?
Pressure from other boys. Speaking in standard English and doing well in school were often viewed with suspicion by their peers and seen as ‘ selling out ‘to the white establishment
What does Sewell argue is the reason that black students do worse than their Asian counterparts?
Cultural differences in socialisation and attitudes to education
What does Sewell believe would raise black children aspirations?
Greater expectations placed on them
What does Gillborn argue?
That it is not peer pressure but institutional racism within the education system itself that systematically produces the failure of large numbers of black boys
What do Indian and Chinese pupils benefit from?
Supportive families that have an ‘Asian work ethic’ and place a high value on education
What does Lupton argue that adult authority in Asian families is similar to?
The model that operates in schools