Ethnic Diffrences in Achievement Flashcards
(a) Intellectual and linguistic skills (CD) (EXTERNAL)
BEREITER & ENGLEMANN believe that language spoken by low-income black American families is inadequate, ungrammatical and disjoined to achieve educational success
-However, GILBORN & MIRZA found that Indian pupils do very well despite not having English as their home language
(b) Attitudes and values (CD) (EXTERNAL)
CD theorist link educational achievement to differences in values, attitudes and inspirations. They argue that some black children have been socialised into a subculture that nato’s a fatalistic attitude and emphasises immediate gratification disregarding education.
What is a fatalistic attitude?
The propensity of individuals or groups to believe that their destinies are ruled by an unseen power or are played out inevitably rather than by their will.
What is immediate gratification?
Refers to desiring immediate results or rewards e.g spending a wage straight away rather than saving it
(c) Family structure and parental support (CD) (EXTERNAL)
MOYNIHAN argued that because many black families are headed by a lone mother, children are deprived of adequate care denied of a male role model
SEWELL argues that it is not the absence of fathers as role models, it is the problem as lack of nurturing or ‘tough love’. This means that boys find it hard to overcome the emotional and behavioural difficulties of adolescent.
Criticisms of Cultural Deprivation (EXTERNAL)
- PILKINGTON argues that cultural explanations generalise and divert attention away from material inequalities and possible failings of the education system itself
-GILBORN & MIRZA found that black children were the highest achievers on entry to primary school yet by the type it came to GCSE, they had the worst results of any ethnic group. Therefore, if a group can begin their schooling as the highest achievers and finish as lowest achievers, this challenges the assumption made by the theorists who focus on external factors (LIKE CD) that black children enter school unprepared
2.Material Deprivation (External)
PALMER found:
-that almost half of ethnic minority children live in low-income households compared to a quarter of white children
-ethnic minorities are 3 times more likely to be homeless
- and almost twice as likely to be unemployed compared to most
whites
-GILBORN & MIRZA argue that companies made between pupils of the same social class even middle class pupils do comparatively poorer at GCSE than white middle class pupils.
- Racism in wider society (External)
-Many sociologists point out that poverty and MD a experienced by ethnic minorities is the product of racism in wider society that has negative effects on educational prospects of ethnic minorities
-According to MASON discrimination is a continuing and persistent feature of experience of Britains citizens apart of ethnic minorities. This helps explain why members, are more likely to face unemployment and low pay,having a negative effect on children’s educational prospects
(A) (Labelling, identities and responses) 1.Labelling (internal)
COARD argued that teachers have lower expectations of black pupils which encourages a Self fulfilling prophecy.
-General studies show that often teachers see black (and to a lesser extent asians too) as being far from ‘ideal’. Black students are disruptive and asians are passive.
Do teachers view black and asian pupils in the same way? (labelling) (internal)
They are viewed in the same sense of being ‘far from ideal’, but for different reasons e.g Black people are seen as ‘disruptive’ and Asians are seen as ‘passive’
(Internal) (A) 2. Pupil identities
According to ARCHER teachers see ethnic minority pupils identities as lacking the favoured identity of the ‘ideal pupil’ (white middle class). Shown in interviews, teachers see ethnic minority pupils are likely to be seen as having a ‘pathologised pupil identities’ (asians) or a ‘demonised pupil identity’ (black pupils).
Explain the difference between ‘pathologised’ and a ‘demonised’ pupil identity? (pupil identities)
Pathologised- Over achieved and not in the correct way due to parental pressure and expectations not natural ability
Demonised- Challenging and unable to achieve due to bad behaviour
(Internal) (A) 3. Pupil responses and subcultures
Ethnographic research by FULLER of a small group of girls of Indian origin, found that their subculture that emerged enabled them to reject the labels applied to them than having a SFP. They took pride in themselves and they were not conforming to ‘good’ pupils. They were pro-education not pro-school. This shows that pupils may still succeed even when they refuse to conform, and labelling doesn’t always result in SPF or failure.
What is ethnographic research?
Where a sociologist joins the group their studying in their natural environment
(Internal) B: Institutional racism (critical race theory)
This theory highlights importance of institutional racism (racism that is built into the way institutions operate)
-ROTHMAYR says institutional racism is a ‘locked in inequality’: The scale of historical discrimination is so great that there is no longer needs to be any conscious intent and discriminate -the inequality becomes self-perpetuating.
GILBORN agrees and says it’s “so deep rooted and an inevitable feature of education system”
