Ethnic Differences: Internal

Question 1

Gillborn and Mirza

Answer 1

Challenge CD theory
-In one local primary, B children were the highest achievers on entry (20 points above average)
-But by GCSEs had worst results (20 below)

-Challenges idea they entered school unprepared. Instead it’s internal factors that play a key part.

Question 2

3 Internal factors

Answer 2

-Labelling & teacher racism
-Pupil identities
-Pupil responses & subcultures

Question 3

Gillborn &Youdell

Answer 3

T faster to discipline black boys for the same behaviour as white
-Racialised expectations eg less obedient. Stem from racial stereotypes.
-Explains higher exclusion rates (1in 5 get 5GCSEs).
-stereotypes = A-C economy, lower streams = SFP

Question 4

Wrights study

Answer 4

Multi ethnic primary
-Despite equal opportunity, T held ethnocentric views- assumed A had poor english, left out, childish language
-As a result felt isolated when disapproved/mispronounced name

A not a threat like B but a problem that can be ignored, led to them (esp girls) being marginalised

Question 5

Archer (pupil identities)

Answer 5

3 pupil identities
-Ideal: white, mc, straight, natural ability, initiative
-Pathologised: Asian, feminine, asexual/oppressed, conformist, hard work
-Demonised: White/ black wc, hyper sexual, peer led, unintelligent

Question 6

Fullers study (pupil responses and subcultures)

Answer 6

Year 11 Black high achievers
-Untypical due to doing well, channelled anger into education, didn’t seek T approval, friends w other low set B girls.
-Only conformed to school work BUT looked like they didn’t care
-Relied on own efforts, maintained positive image

-Evidence P still succeed even when avoiding conformity, negative labels not always lead to failure.

Question 7

Mirza study (pupil responses & subcultures)

Answer 7

-Ambitious B girls that faced racism
-Racist T discouraged B through advice about careers/options.
3 Types:
-Colourblind:Beleive all equal, but allow it to happen
-Liberal chauvinist: low expectations
-Overt racist: B inferior, actively discriminate

Strategies to avoid, but negatively impacted them

Question 8

Sewell

Answer 8

4 responses to T racism
-Rebel: most visible, small minority, often excluded, reject goals/ rules. ‘Black Macho Lads’. T saw all boys as this.
-Conformist: Largest group, keen to succeed, accepted goals/rules, not in a subculture, anxious of being stereotyped
-Retreatist: tiny minority, isolated from school & B subcultures, despised by rebels
-Innovators, 2nd largest group, pro education, anti school (fuller), distanced from conformist, credibility from rebels while + abt education

-Also sees external factors eg peer groups, street culture, lack of father

Question 9

Number of boys excluded (ethnic differences)

Answer 9

BC: 38/10,000 (highest)
White: 22/10,000
Indian: 2/10,000 (lowest)

Question 10

Criticism of labelling theory

Answer 10

-May be seen as the product of only individual T prejudices, rather than racism in the way the educational system operates (G&Y A-C)
-Deterministic, assumes once labelled pupils will automatically fall victim to SFP and fail. (Yet Mirza showed P can have strategies to avoid it but still limits opportunity)

Question 11

Critical Race Theory

Answer 11

Racism is ‘locked in’
-The historical discrimination is so large that there’s no longer needs to be any conscious intent to discriminate. The inequality becomes self perpetuating.

Question 12

What effects ethnic differences in achievement

Answer 12

-Marketisation & segregation
-Ethnocentric curriculum
- Assessment
-Access to opportunity
-The new ‘IQism’

Question 13

Coard

Answer 13

Ethnocentric curriculum Produces underachievement, image of black as inferior undermines self esteem = failure

impact unclear as Indian & chinese perform above average despite ignoring asian culture. Stone: B don’t suffer low self esteem.

Question 14

Gillborn (Assessment)

Answer 14

Says the assessment game is rigged to validate dominant culture, if B succeed as a group, rules will be changed to re-engineer failure.

Question 15

Example of re-engineered assessment

Answer 15

Old baseline test (start of primary) to the foundation stage profile (end of reception)
-B performance got worse overnight, across all 6 developmental areas.
-FSP based off T judgment, baseline a written test (increased risk of stereotyping & change in timing)

Question 16

Gillborn (Marketisation & segregation)

Answer 16

Argues marketisation gives schools scope to select pupils, it allows negative stereotypes to influence decisions about school admissions

Question 17

Gillborn (gifted and talented)

Answer 17

OS show w 2x more likely than BC & 5x more likely than B to be selected for ‘gifted and talented’

Question 18

Gillborn ( new IQism)

Answer 18

• Argues T and policy makers make false assumptions abt ability and potential. See potential as a measurable/ fixed quality.
  -G&Y note that schls use old school IQ tests to allocate

-G says there’s no way to measure potential, conclude that education system is institutionally racist. Minorities are routinely disadvantaged. ‘Fundamental characteristic of education system’

Question 19

Sewell

Answer 19

Criticises Gillborn
-Rejects that internal reasons are main cause, argues racism isn’t powerful enough to prevent P from succeeding. Says we should focus on external factors eg anti school attitudes, peer groups, nurturing role of the father

Question 20

achievement of model minorities

Answer 20

-Criticised Gillborn
-There’s ‘overachievement’ by other model minorities eg indian and chinese that perform better than white majority
-if they do so well how can there be IR as critical race theorists claim?

Question 21

Gillborn (model minorities conceal IR)

Answer 21

-image of Indians & chinese as hardworking performs an ideological function. concealing IR.
-Makes system appeal fair & meritocratic. That I&C succeed due to effort
-Justifies the failure of other minorities, such as B as they’re unable/unwilling to make the effort due to ‘unaspirational home culture
-Ignores the fact ‘model minorities’ still suffer racism in school. C report similar levels of harassment as BC.

Question 22

Connolly

Answer 22

Interactionist effect: class and gender interact differently depending on which ethnic group we are looking at
-eg bigger achievement gap between white mc & wc than black mc & wc

Question 23

Connollys study

Answer 23

-5 and 6 year olds in multiethnic inner city school
-T construct masculinity differently depending on their ethnicity
-Black boys: underachievers, disruptive, controlled by harsher punishment, channelled energy into sport, responding by seeking status in non academic ways eg football

-Asian boys: Passive, conformist, keen & academic, when they misbehaved seen as childish not a threat, other boys asserted masculinity by excluding them, both T and P saw them as more ‘feminine’, vulnerable, need protecting from bullying