Ethnicity

Question 1

Linguistic Skills (ext)

Answer 1

Some pupils speak a different language and some pupils speak an informal version of English.

Bereiter and Engelmann state that the black Caribbean language is ungrammatical and disjointed, which means they cannot convey abstract ideas.

Question 2

Family Structure (ext)

Answer 2

There are higher rates of lone-parent families in black ethnicities. Moynihan found that many black families are headed by a lone mother, leading to lower achievement of black boys due to how they do not have a male role model

Question 3

Attitudes and Values (ext)

Answer 3

Some sociologists argue that some black pupils have a fatalistic outlook on life, meaning they want immediate gratification and have limited motivation to achieve in the long term.

Question 4

Material Dep (ext)

Answer 4

Many minority ethnic groups are victims of racism in wider society, subsequently they face direct or indirect discrimination at work or in the housing market, and in turn, they may be in low paid jobs or unemployed. This impacts upon the children’s educational opportunities.