Gender and achievement

Question 1

Equal opportunity policies

Answer 1

-Feminist ideas are now a part of mainstream thinking when it comes to policies
-Examples such as GIT and WISE
-Introduction of national curriculum in 1988 ‘removed’ gendered subject choices somewhat
-Boaler(1998)- barries to achievement removed, education now meritocratic

Question 2

Positive role models

Answer 2

-Increase in proportion of female head teachers (40:60)
-Shows women can achieve positions of importance

Question 3

GCSE + Coursework

Answer 3

Gorard (2005)- gender gap fairly constant from 1975-1989, introduction of GCSEs caused gap to rise sharply with the root cause being coursework

Mitsos + Browne (1998)- girls more successful in coursework because they are more concientious and better organised

Question 4

Teacher Attention

Answer 4

French (1993)- classroom interaction, boys get more attention, disciplined more harshly, felt picked on

Swann (1998)- boys dominate whole class discussion, girls prefer pair + group work, teachers therefore respond more positively to girls who they see as cooperative, SFP incurs raising achievement levels

Question 5

Challenging Stereotypes

Answer 5

-Barriers to girls achievement removed, reading schemes in 70s and 80s had girls portrayed as housewives and maths with boys in

-Weiner (1995)- teachers have challenged stereotypes, sexist images removed leads to girls aspirations raised

Question 6

Selection and league tables

Answer 6

Jackson (1998)- marketisation policies have created a competitive climate, sees girls as desirable recruits, leads to improved opportunities, creates an SFP as they are more likely to be recruited to good schools so more lielly to do well