Differential Educational Achievement: Gender (Boys) Flashcards
What internal factor is argued to be the reason for the ‘Gender gap’ in literacy?
Poor literacy amongst males
DfCSF (2007) highlights that reading is viewed as a feminine activity, often associated with mothers reading to children.
How does bedroom culture impact girls’ vocabulary?
Girls are socialised to talk and discuss, which increases their vocabulary
Lower vocabulary limits achievement through language code and the ability to express ideas coherently.
How does poor literacy impact achievement
Lower vocabulary limits achievement through language code and the ability of students to express ideas coherently.
What external factor has contributed to a decline in male employment opportunities since the 1980s?
Globalisation leading to a decline in heavy industries
Industries such as iron and steel, and engineering have seen significant job losses.
What do Mitsos and Browne argue is a result of the decline in male employment?
Identity crises among boys
This decline leads to low self-esteem and decreased motivation to achieve academic grades.
How does the ‘crisis of masculinity’ affect achievement
Results in belief that they will not get a ‘proper job’= low self esteem and motivation to get grades.
Decline is mainly in manual working class jobs, which didn’t need qualifications.
What is the feminisation of education?
Schools do not nurture masculine traits and instead celebrate qualities like attentiveness
Sewell believes coursework should be replaced with exams and emphasize outdoor education.
How does the feminisation of education effect achievement
Boys become ‘bored’ with school
How does the lack of male primary teachers affect boys’ perception of learning?
Learning is seen as ‘girlie’ by many boys and not
worth their time.
Leads to less effort at school = underachievement
The dominance of women in teaching, especially at primary schools, contributes to this perception.
What do boys gain from joining anti-school subcultures?
Symbolic capital amongst peers
Boys who perform well in school may face bullying and perceived weakness, leading to underachievement.
How do ‘Laddish subcultures’ affect education
More disruptive –boys tend to get excluded more and seek status from exclusion which leads to underachievement.
What is the overestimation of ability in boys and who proposed this idea?
Boys see themselves as more capable than they really are.
This overconfidence to come from living in a patriarchal society where men assume they will always succeed over women
Barber (1996)
This overconfidence can result in lack of preparation for exams and blaming others for failures.
How does the ‘Over Estimation of Ability’ affect achievement
Over confidence leads to lack of preparation for examinations and classwork which lead to under performance. Accepting responsibility is showing weakness.
What was the focus of the Raising Boys Achievement Project?
Issues associated with the differential academic achievement of boys and girls
The project ran from 2000 to 2004 in schools in England.
What are the components of the National Literacy Strategy’s daily literacy hour?
• 15 minutes on shared reading
• 15 minutes on vocabulary
• 20 minutes reading/writing
• 10 minutes group review
These strategies are recommended but not compulsory.
What was the aim of the Playing for Success initiative?
Raise literacy, numeracy, and ICT standards among demotivated pupils
This was done through out-of-school-hours study support at sports venues.
What is the aim of the Dads and Sons campaign?
Increase dads’ involvement in their sons’ education
The campaign targets fathers of boys aged 11-14 and seeks to generate media interest in the issues.
What is the goal of recruitment events aimed at male students in STEM subjects?
To recruit more male teachers
These events are held at universities across the country.
