Ethnicity And Internal Factors Pt.1: Lesson 33

Question 1

What are the 2 types of internal factors regarding ethnicity?

Answer 1

• Labelling, identities & responses
• institutionalised racism

Question 2

Key facts on labelling & teacher racism

Answer 2

• Ethnic minority pupils don’t fit ideal pupil
• Black pupils often labelled as disruptive
• Asian pupil labelled as passive & accepting of education system
• Negative labelling leads to self fulfilling prophecy which puts them at disadvantage negatively affecting attainment

Question 3

What did Gillborn & Youdel 2000 say about labelling & teacher racism?

Answer 3

• Teachers quicker to discipline black pupils than white even when negative behaviour is the same
• Teachers expect black pupils to be more disruptive and interpret behaviour as challenge to authority
• Anti-school subcultures due to black pupils responding negatively to discipline
• Economy teachers help student most likely to achieve (educational triage)

Question 4

What did Wright 1992 say about labelling & teacher racism?

Answer 4

• Asian students victims to negative labelling
• Teachers hold ethnocentric views & view British culture & lang as superior
• Teachers assume Asian pupils have poor grasp of English and speak to them in simplified English or leave them out completely
• Asian pupils isolated & marginalised, teachers don’t view them as a threat like black people but a problem they can ignore.

Question 5

What did Archer 2008 say about pupil identities?

Answer 5

• Teachers have dominant discourse, this isolates ethnic minorities as they don’t conform to ideal pupil
• This creates 3 pupil identities
• Ethnic minorities more likely to be demonised by teachers leading to self fulfilling prophecy
• Chinese pupils praised for achieving success & pathologists for achieving in the wrong way
• Chinese achievement seen as overachievement

Question 6

What are the 3 pupil identities?

Answer 6

• The ideal pupil: white, middle class, heterosexual, masculinised & perceived by teachers as being achievers through ability & initiative
• The pathologized pupil: Asian, deserving poor, asexual or oppressed by sexuality & feminised, perceived by teachers as conformist & culture bound, achieve through hard work not natural ability
• The demonised pupil: working class, black or white, perceived as unintelligent, peer led & culturally deprived

Question 7

What did Fuller 1984 say about pupil responses & subcultures?

Answer 7

• Studied black yr 11 girls in London comprehensive schools
• High achieving black girls still put in lower streams
• Black girls actively reject negative labelling and use it as motivation for success
• Don’t seek approval from teachers
• Don’t limit choice of friendships & socialise with other black girls in lower streams
• Rely on own efforts rather than input of teachers:pro education anti-school

Question 8

What did Mirza 1992 say about pupil responses & subcultures?

Answer 8

• Racist teacher discourage black pupils from being ambitious through types of advice given regarding career choices
• 3 types of teacher racism
• Ethnic minorities more selective with staff they ask for help to avoid racism
• This limits their opportunities within education resulting in underachievement

Question 9

What are the 3 types teacher racism?

Answer 9

The colour blind: believes all pupils are equal but don’t challenge racism
The liberal chauvinist: believes black pupils are culturally deprived so expect less from them
The overt racist: believe black pupils are inferior and actively discriminate against them

Question 10

What did Sewell 2009 say about pupil responses & subcultures?

Answer 10

• Respond in 4 ways to labelling & racism
• Despite small minority of rebels teacher perceive all black boys this way resulting in negative labelling
• External factors e.g father figures, peer groups more important in black boys underachievement
• Despite only small minority of rebels teachers perceive all black boys this way resulting in negative labelling
• Boys response to racism further creates conflict

Question 11

What are the 4 ways black boys respond to teacher racism & labelling?

Answer 11

• The rebels: most visible & influential groups who are a small minority of black pupils. Reject schools & its values; macho lad
• The conformists: largest group, keen to succeed & accept schools & its values. Have friends in different ethnic groups not belonging to any subcultures & anxious to avoid stereotypes
• The retreatists: tiny minority, disconnected from school and black subcultures. Despised by rebels.
• The innovators: second largest group, pro-education & anti-school. Conform on,y as far as work is concerned