gender - internal factors

Question 1

Swann (1998)

Answer 1

found gender differences in communication styles – boys dominate whole class discussion, girls preferred pair work and group work – they turn take, boys have been observed to interrupt each other. Girls are viewed as cooperative, boys are seen as potentially disruptive.

Question 2

There has been an increase in the proportion of female teachers and heads, what can be said about this?

Answer 2

These role model for girls but may act as a message to boys that schools are a feminine domain. Only 14% of primary school teachers are male. 42% of Boys surveyed said presence of a male teacher made them work harder and behave better

Question 3

Francis(2006)

Answer 3

8 year olds did not think gender mattered

Question 4

what has marketization lead to

Answer 4

girls are seen as desirable recruits because they achieve better exam results, low achieving boys are not – girls maybe recruited to good schools, furthering their opportunities, boys may be seen as a liability.

Question 5

Sewell(2006)

Answer 5

patriarchy of the 1950’s has been challenged but ‘we have thrown the boy out with the bath water’ he argues that schools celebrate traits associated with girls and do not encourage ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership.(

Question 6

what would feminists say about Sewell’s argument

Answer 6

that this is part of the ‘moral panic’ about boys underachievement

Question 7

Kelly Weiner( 1995)

Answer 7

that since the 1980’s teachers have challenged sex stereotypes and in general, sexist images have been removed from learning materials.

Question 8

Stephen Gorard(2005)

Answer 8

the gender gap in achievement was was fairly constant from 1975 until 1989, when it increased sharply – GCSE was introduced, coursework had been a major part of nearly all subjects.The introduction of coursework to GCSES, AS+A levels suited girls –girls spend more time on their work and are better at meeting deadlines than boys. Currently being removed.