Ethnicity

Question 1

What’s external factors for ethnicity

Answer 1

1. parental support
2. subcultural values
3. language
4. material factors

Question 2

What’s parental support in ethnic education

Answer 2

• high value is placed on education by Indian and Chinese parents, coupled with a strong cultural tradition of respect for one’s elders (adult authoritarian) leading to high educational aspirations being transmitted from parents to children.
• New Right argue high proportion of lone black African Caribbean parents results in failure to ‘provide a home environment conducive to learning’

Question 3

What are the criticisms to parental support

Answer 3

• blaming culture of ethnic groups for underachievement is unfair as some groups experience higher rates of poverty and discrimination are more likely to be part of prison popn.
• can impact student expectations more than parental expectations
• Some studies have found employees discriminate against foreign sounding names on job applications; suggesting racism in society has more of an impact on expectations.

Question 4

What are subcultural values in ethnic education

Answer 4

• some argue lack of positive black male role models within a family has led to development of a ‘gangsta’ culture where black boys turn to alt. role models
• ARNOT (2004) suggests media created neg. anti-school role model for black pupils
• suggested ‘ultra-though ghetto superstar’ which reinforces through rap lyrics and MTV videos
• these role models emphasise values of fatalism and immediate gratification

Question 5

What are criticisms of subcultural values in ethnic education

Answer 5

• Keddie (1971) says that to blame culture is to blame the victims of educational failure
• they underachieve because the curriculum is ethnocentric and ignores their culture which leads to marginalisation

Question 6

How does language act as a barrier in ethnic education

Answer 6

• In England 1 out 6 students has English as an additional language
• Bereiter and Englemann argue that language spoken by low income black families is inadequate for educational success
• they argue it is ungrammatical, disjointed and incapable of expressing abstract ideas (restricted code)

Question 7

What are criticisms of language in ethnic education

Answer 7

• Gilborn and Mizra (2000) say argument is weak as black girls achieve higher than black boys therefore, language isn’t a factor in achievement
• Chinese and Indian pupils still achieve highly

Question 8

How does material deprivation affect ethnic groups in education

Answer 8

-ethnic minorities are likely to have less money to spend on a healthy food, textbooks, resources to help with educational achievement

Question 9

What are criticisms of material deprivation in ethnic deprivation

Answer 9

• ignores compensatory education which have aimed to target the most disadvantaged students and compensate for any material disadvantages:
• educational action zones
• sure start
• free school meals
• pupil premium