Gender and achievement (internal + external factors)

Question 1

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how changes in girls ambitions has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 1

It is evident that the service sector in the past few decades has substantially shifted, the shift in the structure of employment has led to a change in girls ambitions, which was later even reinforced when the changes in the law (sex discrimination act and equal pay act) which further inspired them.

Question 2

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how leisure time has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 2

Girls and boys participate in different activities outside of school, girls are known to be rich in bedroom culture; they spend time colouring, reading, being as neat as they possibly can, ultimately contributing to their educational achievement.
Whereas their male counterpart spend most of their time indulging in physical activities and video games which do NOT contribute to their educational achievement.

Question 3

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how boys and literacy has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 3

Amongst sociologists, it is universally known that reading is a feminine activity, and since mothers will typically read for their children; most boys will lack a role model.
According to a study conducted by Gary Wilson, only 25% of secondary school boys read for pleasure, and even those that do, will typically flick through pages of non-fiction books e.g GBOWR

This idea is further solidified in gender gap within literacy based subjects.

Question 4

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how labelling has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 4

• Gender stereotypes
• Boys are seen as more disruptive and girls are seen as brighter.
• Class clown vs ideal pupil
• SFP = lower self esteem
• Misallocation of sets

However..

Question 5

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how equal opportunity policies has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 5

Policies such as GIST (girls into science and technology) and WISE (Women into science and engineering) aim to challenge stereotypes surrounding genderdised subjects such as physics and engineering

However, Not all girls want to do STEM subjects and boys still dominate the field regardless of these initiative.

Question 6

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how laddish subcultures has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 6

Boys (mainly working class), feel pressurised by their peers to conform to traditional forms of masculinity in order to gain symbolic capital in the form of validity, being studious and hardworking towards education is seen as girly, leading to boys rebelling to avoid humiliation.

However, the laddish subculture has existed the day education was invented therefore it isn’t a sufficient.
Not all boys

Question 7

Explain (with evaluation if possible) how feminisation of education has led to girls achieving more than boys

Answer 7

It is evident that school has become a more feminine environment, particularly in primary schools where teachers are mostly women, this leads to females have more role models therefore raising their aspirations.
This implies that boys lack male role models with only 14% being male.

However,