Ethnic differences in achievement - INTERNAL

Question 1

Internal Differences in Achievement

Answer 1

Internal factors such as labelling, pupil subcultures and ethnocentricity and institutional racism

Question 2

Internal Factors and Ethnic Differences

Answer 2

Labelling, pupil subcultures and ethnocentricity and institutional racism.

Question 3

Interactionists

Answer 3

Focus on small scale face to face interactions, such as those between pupils and teachers.

Question 4

Labelling

Answer 4

As a result of negative racist labels teachers may treat ethnic minority pupils differently by bring about a self fulfilling prophecy that leads to their underachievement.

Question 5

Black Pupils (Gillborn and Mirza)

Answer 5

Gillborn and Mirza found that in one area black children were the highest achievers on entering primary school, yet by GCSE they had fallen to 21 points below average. This suggests schooling is to blame.

Question 6

Black Pupils - Gillborn and Youdell

Answer 6

• Found teachers had ‘radicalised expectations’ about black pupils and expected more discipline problems and saw their behaviour as threatening.
• Pupils felt their teachers underestimated their ability and picked on them. Conflict between white teachers and black pupils stems from racist stereotypes teachers have.
• Can cause underachievement as it leads to higher levels of exclusions for boys and black pupils being placed in lower sets or streams.

Question 7

Asian Pupils- Wright

Answer 7

Wright found that Asian primary school pupils were stereotyped by their teachers and treated differently.

• Teachers would assume children had a poor grasp of English so used a simple language speaking to them. They mispronounced children’s names and say them as a problem they could ignore.
• As a result Asian pupils were prevented from participating fully affecting self esteem.

Question 8

Connolly (Asian pupils)

Answer 8

• Connolly found primary school teachers saw Asian pupils as passive and conformist.
• Both teachers and pupils saw Asian boys as more vulnerable and less able to protect themselves.

Question 9

Pupil Subcultures

Answer 9

Pupils react in different ways to racist labelling including forming subcultures.

• Sewell found that black boys adopted a range of responses to teachers racist labelling of them as rebellious and anti-school.
• He also argues that factors external to school are more important in producing underachievement than internal factors. Subcultures include: Conformists, innovators, retreatists and rebels.

Question 10

Conformists

Answer 10

Were the largest group. They were keen to succeed accepted the school’s goals and had friends from different ethnic groups.

Question 11

Innovators

Answer 11

Were the second largest group. They were pro-education but ant-school. They valued success but not teachers approval.

Question 12

Retreatists

Answer 12

Were a tiny minority of isolated individuals disconnected from both the school and black subcultures outside it.

Question 13

Rebels

Answer 13

Were a small but visible minority of black pupils. They rejected schools rules and conformed to the stereotype of the ‘black macho lad’. Their aim was to achieve the status of ‘street hood.’

Question 14

Rejecting Negative Labels

Answer 14

Studies show that not all minority ethnic pupils who are negatively labelled accept and conform to the label. Some may remain committed to succeeding. This includes Fullers and Mac an Ghaills study.

Question 15

Year 11 Black Girls - Filler

Answer 15

Studied these girls in a London comprehensive the girls maintained a positive self image by rejecting teachers stereotypes of them.

• They were determined to succeed and didn’t seek teachers approval.

Question 16

Black and Asian Students - Mac An Ghaill

Answer 16

Studied these students at a sixth form and found they did not necessarily accept teachers negative labels.

Question 17

Black Girls Strategies - Mirza

Answer 17

Found their strategies for dealing with teachers racism was not asking for help which restricted opportunities. Even though they didn’t accept labels

Question 18

Institutional Racism

Answer 18

Sociologists say we must focus on institutional racism discrimination against ethnic minorities that is built into the way institutions (e.g. schools) operate

Question 19

Critical Race Theory

Answer 19

CRT sees institutional racism as deep-rooted ‘locked in’ feature of the education system. CRT see the education systems as institutionally racist in several ways.

Question 20

Ethnocentric Curriculum

Answer 20

• Troyna and Williams note that it gives priority to the white culture and English language.
• David argues that National Curriculum is a ‘specifically British’ curriculum that teaches the culture of the ‘host community’.
• Ball sees the history curriculum in schools as recreating a mythical age of empire and past glories ignoring black and Asian people’s history.
• This may make minority groups feel they are not valued in education and diminishes their self esteem

Question 21

Selection and Segregation - Gillborn

Answer 21

Argues that marketization gives schools more scope to select pupils negative stereotypes can influence decisions about admissions.

Question 22

Assessment - Gillborn

Answer 22

Argues that assessment is rigged to validate the dominant white cultures superiority.

Question 23

Access to Opportunities

Answer 23

Whites are twice as likely to be identified as gifted and talented than black pupils.

• Tikly and Strand found blacks were more likely to be entered for lower tier exams because of teachers expectations and as they were in lower sets.

Question 24

The New IQism

Answer 24

Secondary schools are increasingly using old style intelligence (IQs) to allocate pupils to different streams on entry.

• Black pupils are more likely to be placed in lower streams as a result.