Gender differences: why do boys underachieve Flashcards
Mac and Ghill (1994)
Dealing with identity crisis
claims “working class boys” attempt to deal with identity crisis by adopting an aggressive, macho “laddishness” attitude.
> They reject what they see as middle-class values and do not regard school work as “real work” and see hard workers as “geeks”.
> This leads to the development of “anti-school subcultures” which leads to failure.
EVAL - reasonable in making sense of why working-class boys may underachieve
Boys’ leisure time
EXTERNAL
boy’s leisure time is very different from girls’ leisure time.
> Boys play football and computer games which don’t help literacy development at all.
> Girls have a “bedroom culture” where they spend a lot of time indoors, socialising with friends which helps develop literacy skills.
EVAL - distinct lack of credible evidence to support this claim, boys who are in the spot achieve well according to some studies
teacher attitudes and Expectations
INTERNAL
research shows boys’ achievement is directly linked to teachers’ expectations of them.
> Where “negative labelling” exists boys are less likely to achieve their full potential
LOWER EXPECTATIONS OF BOYS IN CLASSROOM ARE SEEN IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
> A lower standard of work expected
> Boys are called upon to answer questions less than girls
> Boys are stereotyped as “uninterested in learning”
> Boys work can often receive less targeted feedback
> Poor behaviour can go unchallenged
EVAL - this argument doesn’t make it clear why changes in patterns of boys’ achievement have occurred over time - boys have steadily improved over time
Laddish subcultures
Carolyn Jackson (2006) Lads and Ladettes in School
In her study of year 9 pupils, Jackson interviewed 203 students across 8 schools and used questionnaires in gathering the views of 800 students across six schools.
> She found that the clearest bit of evidence for boys’ underachievement In school is the way that notions of masculinity are considered to be incompatible with academic success.
In wanting to live up to hegemonic masculinity, boys often reject hard work and academic success as a way to be ‘cool’, ‘hard’ and ‘one of the lads’
Jackson found that this is something both working and middle-class boys experience.
However, when at home it was found out that these boys did more work, as they were out of sight. Middle-class boys could perform better at home. For working-class boys, this wasn’t so easy.
EVALUATION:
> Critics have pointed out the problems in her use of interviews and questionnaires.
> In the interviews, interviewees may either exaggerate their thoughts, feelings and opinions, or they fear to disclose them for fear of what the interviewer may think.
Critics believe questionnaires to not provide enough in-depth detail, therefore they lack the necessary information required, in this case, pupils’ attitudes towards school.
