Ethnicity - Internal Factors - Pupil Indentities Flashcards
What did Archer say about teachers and dominant discourse?
Archer (2008) says that teachers’ dominant discourse (way of seeing something) defines ethnic minority pupils’ identities as lacking the favoured identity of the ideal pupil.
Teachers dominant discourse constructs three different pupil identities:
- the ideal pupil identity
- the pathologised pupil identity
- the demonised pupil identity
What is the ideal pupil identity?
The ideal pupil is a white, middle class, masculinised identity, with normal sexuality. This pupil is seen as achieving in the ’right’ way, through natural ability and initiative.
What is the pathologised pupil identity?
The pathologised pupil is an Asian, ‘deserving poor’, feminised identity, they are either asexual or with an oppressed sexuality. This pupil is seen as a plodding, conformist and culture-bound ‘over-achiever’, a slogger who succeeds through hard work rather than natural ability.
What is the demonised pupil indentity?
The demonised pupil is a black or white, working class, hyper-sexualised identity. This pupil is seen as an unintelligent, peer-led, culturally deprived underachiever.
What type of pupil identity are ethnic minority pupils most likely to have?
Ethnic minority pupils are most likely to be either a demonised or pathologised pupil.
Eg, black pupils are demosised as loud, challenging, excessively sexualised and with ‘unaspirational’ home cultures.
What did Archer find that teachers stereotyped Asian girls as?
Archer (2010) found that teachers stereotyped Asian girls as quiet, passive or docile.
What did Shain find when Asian girls challenged their stereotype?
Shain (2003) found that when Asian girls challenge their stereotype by misbehaving, they are often dealt with more severely than other pupils.
What does Archer say about Chinese pupils identity?
Archer argues that minority pupils who perform successfully can be pathologised (seen as abnormal).
Eg, Chinese pupils are praised but are viewed negatively by their teachers.
How does Archer describe Chinese pupils achievement?
Chinese pupils were seen as having achieved their status in the ‘wrong’ way. They did this through hardworking and passive conformism rather than through their natural individual identity (even though successful).
How did Archer and Francis say Chinese pupils were stereotyped by teachers?
Archer and Francis (2007) say that teachers have a ‘negative positive stereotype’ towards Chinese pupils. And because they achieve their status in the ‘wrong’ way, they will never identify as the ‘ideal pupil’.
Teachers stereotype Chinese families as ‘tight’ and ‘close’ and they use this to explain girls’ passivity.
Teachers also wrongly stereotype Chinese pupils as middle class.
What does Archer say is the result of teachers stereotypes of Chinese pupils?
Archer says that the successes of ethnic minority (and female) pupils will only be seen as ‘over-achievement’.
This is because ‘proper” achievement is seen to be a natural preserve of the privileged, white, middle class ideal pupil.
