Ethnic differences in achievement

Question 1

Three main cultural deprivation aspects to do with ethnicity

Answer 1

• Linguistic + intellectual skills
• Attitudes and skills
• family structure + parental support

Question 2

Cultural deprivation theorists - Intellectual + Linguistic skills

Answer 2

Lack of intellectual and linguistic skills is a major cause of underachievement for black pupils leaving them poorly equipped for school

Question 3

Bereiter + Engelmann - Languages

Answer 3

Language spoken in low-income American families as:
- ungrammatical
- disjointed
= inadequate for educational success

Question 4

Statistic - English not the first language

Answer 4

In 2010 pupils with English as their first language were only 3.2 points ahead of those with English not as their first language

Question 5

Gillborn + Mirza (2000)

Answer 5

Indian pupils do very well despite often not having English as their home language

Question 6

Cultural Deprivation theorists - Attitudes and Values

Answer 6

Most black children are socialised into the fatalistic ‘live for today’ attitude that does not value education

Question 7

Cultural Deprivation theorists - Family Structure and parental support

Answer 7

failure to socialise children adequately is the result of a dysfunctional family structure

Question 8

Moynihan (1985) - Black families

Answer 8

Many black families are headed by lone mothers

• struggling financially
• lack male role model
• discipline

Question 9

Scruton (1986) - lack of acceptance

Answer 9

The underachievement of ethnic minorities is due to the failure to embrace mainstream British culture

Question 10

Sewell says…

Answer 10

“The biggest barrier facing black boys is actually-black peer pressure. We need to talk about how black students discourage their peers”

Question 11

Gillborn (2008) - institutional racism

Answer 11

It is not peer pressure but institutional racism within the education system causing the failure of a large number of black boys

Question 12

Asian families

Answer 12

Indian and Chinese pupils benefit from supportive families that have an ‘Asian work ethic’ and place a high value on education

Question 13

Lupton (2004) - Adult authority

Answer 13

Adult authority in Asian families is similar to the model that operates in schools
- respectful behaviour towards adults was expected from children

Question 14

McCulloh (2014) - University

Answer 14

Ethnic minority pupils are more likely to aspire to go to University then white British pupils

Question 15

Keddie - Criticism of CD

Answer 15

Ethnic minority children are culturally different not deprived
- schools are ethnocentric biased in favour of white culture and against minorities

Question 16

Multicultural education

Answer 16

A policy that recognises and values minority cultures and includes them in the curriculum

Question 17

Anti-racist education

Answer 17

A policy that challenges the prejudice and discrimination that exists in schools and wider society

Question 18

The ideal pupil identity - Archer

Answer 18

white, middle class, masculine identity

- achieving in the ‘right way’, through natural ability + initiative

Question 19

The pathologised pupil identity - Archer

Answer 19

An Asian ‘deserving poor’, feminised identity, asexual/oppressed sexuality

• conformist + culture bound ‘over achiever’
• achieves through hard work

Question 20

The demonised pupil identity - Archer

Answer 20

A black or white w/c hyper sexualised identity

- seen as unintelligent, peer led, culturally deprived, underachiever

Question 21

Fuller - rejecting negative labels

Answer 21

black girls in a comprehensive were high achievers

• black pupils were put in low streams
• did not seek teachers approval
• did not limit choice of friends

Question 22

Gillborn + Youdell - black pupil discipline

Answer 22

teachers were quicker to discipline black pupils than others for the same behaviour

• racialised expectations
• pupils quick reactions = more conflict

Question 23

Bourne - black labelling by schools

Answer 23

schools saw black pupils as a threat

• labelling them negatively = exclusion
• exclusion affecting their achievement

Question 24

Foster - streaming black pupils

Answer 24

stereotypes of black pupils could lead them to being placed in lower streams
= self fulfilling prophecy of underachievement

Question 25

Mirza - racist teachers

Answer 25

racist teachers discouraged black pupils from being ambitious through advice they gave about careers and options

Question 26

The colour blind

Answer 26

teachers who believe all pupils are equal but allow racism to still go unchallenged

Question 27

The liberal chauvinists

Answer 27

teachers who believe black pupils are culturally deprived and teach them with low expectations

Question 28

The overt racist

Answer 28

teachers who believe black pupils are inferior and treat them accordingly

Question 29

Ethnocentric curriculum

Answer 29

many sociologists see it as a prime example of institutional racism

Question 30

David - Language, literature and music

Answer 30

National Curriculum

• ‘specifically British’
• ignores non-European languages
• literature
• music

Question 31

Rebels - Sewell

Answer 31

conformed to stereotypes

- small minority of black pupils

Question 32

Conformists - Sewell

Answer 32

keen to succeed

Question 33

Retreatists - Sewell

Answer 33

disconnected from school black subcultures

Question 34

Innovators - Sewell

Answer 34

pro-education but anti-school

Question 35

Gillborn - Assessment

Answer 35

the assessments are rigged to validate the dominant culture

Question 36

David Cameron - Anonymous applications

Answer 36

no names on university applications

- reduce bias + racism

Question 37

Tikly - exam tiers

Answer 37

Black Caribbean pupils still more likely to be entered for lower tier GCSE’s

Question 38

Black + EM teachers

Answer 38

only 22 out of 4000+ teachers from African or African Caribbean background in 2010
- lack of role models for black pupils

Question 39

Statistics - student attainment gap

Answer 39

black = 53.1%
white = 78.4%

Question 40

Statistics - % 5 A-C including Eng + Maths

Answer 40

Irish Heritage/gypsy/Romanian = 12% (below average)

Indian = 78% (above average)

Question 41

Ethnic minority workers are more likely to engage in shift work

Answer 41

paid more
language qualifications needed to get a proper job
- parental support

Question 42

Ethnic minority household are 3 times more likely to be homeless

Answer 42

not understanding system
resistant of authority
earn less money
- constant moving = missing lessons