ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT Flashcards
What do cultural deprivation theorists argue about intellectual and linguistic skills?
They see the lack of these skills as a major cause of underachievement for many minority children.
What do Berreiter and Engelmann believe about the language spoken by low-income black American families?
They consider it inadequate for educational success, viewing it as ungrammatical and incapable of expressing abstract ideas.
How do official statistics challenge the idea that not speaking English at home is a major educational barrier?
In 2010, pupils with English as their first language were only 3.2 points ahead of those without it in GCSE results.
What is a major cause of failure for many black children according to cultural deprivation theorists?
A lack of motivation, as they may be socialised into a subculture that does not value education.
What does Daniel Moynihan argue about lone mother households in black families?
He argues that the absence of a male breadwinner leads to inadequate care and role models for children.
What does Ken Pryce claim about the achievement of Asian pupils compared to black Caribbean pupils?
He claims that Asian culture is more resistant to racism, giving them a greater sense of self-worth.
How do Indian and Chinese pupils benefit according to Sewell?
They benefit from supportive families that have an ‘Asian worth ethic’ and place a high value on education.
What did Andrew McCulloh’s survey reveal about aspirations of ethnic minority pupils compared to white British pupils?
It found that ethnic minority pupils are more likely to aspire to go to university than white British pupils.
What criticism does Geoffrey Driver make of cultural deprivation theory?
He argues it ignores the positive effects of ethnicity on achievement, particularly in black Caribbean families.
What does Keddie argue about ethnic minority children?
She argues they are culturally different, not culturally deprived, and that schools are ethnocentric.
What factors contribute to material deprivation among ethnic minorities?
Substandard housing, low income, and discrimination in the labor and housing markets.
What does Guy Palmer’s research indicate about ethnic minority children living in low-income households?
Almost half of all ethnic minority children live in low-income households, compared to a quarter of white children.
How do Indian pupils generally perform compared to Pakistani and white pupils?
Indian pupils tend to achieve above average and are more likely to come from better-off backgrounds.
What does David Mason say about discrimination in Britain?
He states that discrimination is a persistent feature of the experience of minority ethnic citizens.
What did Wood et al. find regarding job applications from ethnic minorities?
Only one in 16 ‘ethnic minority’ applications were offered an interview compared to one in nine ‘white’ applications.
What do studies show about teachers’ perceptions of black and Asian pupils?
Teachers often see black pupils as disruptive and Asian pupils as passive, leading to differential treatment.
What did Gillborn and Youdell find about teacher discipline towards black pupils?
Teachers were quicker to discipline black pupils than others for the same behavior due to racialized expectations.
What is the impact of negative labeling on black pupils according to Jenny Bourne?
Schools tend to see black boys as a threat, leading to negative labeling and higher exclusion rates.
What did Mary Fuller’s study reveal about black girls’ responses to negative labels?
The girls channeled their anger into educational success, rejecting negative stereotypes and not seeking teacher approval.
What is institutional racism?
Discrimination that is built into the way institutions, such as schools, operate.
How does marketisation affect school admissions according to Gillborn?
It allows negative stereotypes to influence decisions about school admissions, leading to ethnic segregation.
What do selection procedures lead to in education?
Selection procedures lead to ethnic segregation, with minority pupils failing to get into better secondary schools due to discrimination.
For example, primary school reports were used to screen out pupils with language difficulties.
How do selection procedures favor certain pupils?
Selection procedures favor white pupils and disadvantage those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
What conclusion do Moore and Davenport draw about selection?
Moore and Davenport conclude that selection leads to an ethnically stratified education system.
What did the Commission for Racial Equality identify?
The Commission for Racial Equality identified biases in school admission procedures that disadvantage ethnic minority children.
What are some reasons for ethnic minority children ending up in unpopular schools?
Reasons include reports that stereotype minority pupils, racist bias in interviews, lack of information in minority languages, and ethnic minority parents’ lack of awareness about the waiting list system.
What does the term ‘ethnocentric’ describe?
Ethnocentric describes an attitude or policy that prioritizes the culture and viewpoint of one ethnic group while disregarding others.
Why is the ethnocentric curriculum seen as a form of institutional racism?
The ethnocentric curriculum builds racial bias into the everyday workings of schools.
What examples illustrate the ethnocentric curriculum?
Examples include the lack of teaching Asian languages compared to European languages and a history curriculum that ignores ethnic diversity.
For example, the history curriculum promotes a ‘mythical age of empire’ while neglecting the history of black and Asian people.
How might the ethnocentric curriculum affect black children’s self-esteem?
The curriculum may present black people as inferior, undermining their self-esteem and leading to underachievement.
What is unclear about the impact of the ethnocentric curriculum?
It is unclear how the ethnocentric curriculum affects achievement, as some minority groups, like Indian and Chinese pupils, perform above the national average.
What is the ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme?
The ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme aims to meet the needs of more able pupils in inner-city schools.
What disparity exists in the identification of gifted pupils?
Statistics show that white pupils are over twice as likely as Black Caribbean pupils to be identified as gifted and talented.
What did Tikly et al find regarding exam tiers?
Tikly et al found that black pupils were more likely than whites to be entered for lower tier GCSE exams, limiting their potential grades.
What did Steve Strand’s analysis reveal?
Strand’s analysis showed a white-black achievement gap in maths and science tests at age 14 due to black pupils being under-represented in higher tier tests.
What is the ‘new IQism’?
The ‘new IQism’ refers to the reliance on teachers’ assessments of ability, which often leads to disproportionate placement of black students in lower ranked groups.
How do teachers’ perceptions affect student placement?
Teachers often place students in sets based on prior attainment and perceptions of their attitude, leading to racialized expectations.
What is Gillborn’s critique of the concept of ‘model minorities’?
Gillborn argues that the success of ‘model minorities’ like Indians and Chinese conceals the institutional racism in the education system.
How does the image of ‘model minorities’ affect perceptions of the education system?
It makes the system appear fair and meritocratic, suggesting that success is due to effort, while justifying the failure of other minorities.
