External factors on ethnicity

Question 1

Material Factors

Answer 1

educational failure is the result of material factors such as housing and income, which ethnic minorities are more likely to face

Question 2

Cultural Differences

Answer 2

Cultural factors which may explain why Chinese and Indian children do well in school and why Black Caribbean Children and White children do not do so well include:
-Parental control and expectation, and the value parents place on education.
-Single parent families, and the absence of a male role model (for boys)
-Peer group pressure and an anti-school ‘street’ culture
-Language barriers
-Student aspirations to go on to higher education.

Question 3

Cultural Capital

Answer 3

Francis and Archer (2007) found that a high value is placed on education by Chinese parents, coupled with a strong cultural tradition of respect for one’s elders. High educational aspiration transmits from parents to children, and students derive positive self-esteem from constructing themselves as good students. (Although in a later 2010 paper, Francis warned against the stereotype that all Chinese parents are pushy, most middle class white parents are also pushy!)

Question 4

Government policy on immigration

Question 5

Rampton Report

Answer 5

A report on The West Indian Community highlighted many concerns by the Commons Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration. These concerns were regarding the lack of academic performance of West Indian children