Internal Factors Flashcards
Equal Opportunities Policy 1
Initiatives such as GIST (Girls into science and technology) and WISE (Women into science and engineering) which aim to encourage girls to choose science related education and careers.
Motivates girls to pursue STEM careers for which they need qualifications so they work hard at school.
Equal Opportunities Policy 2
Before the National Curriculum [1988] girls tended to choose subjects such as English and Art, while boys tended to choose Maths and Sciences.
N/C made Eng, Maths and Sci into core subject which must be studied by all students.
Makes both girls and boys study the same subjects, establishing gender equality. Enables girls to have wider career options and motivates them to get good grades.
Criticism - Equal opportunities policies
Despite GIST girls are still choosing more ‘feminine’ subject [EX. Social Sciences]
Equal opps policies have failed to attract girls to Sciences.
Positive Role Models in School
Increase in female teachers and head teachers.
Act as positive female role models to girls.
Girls can see that women can succeed, but that success requires lengthy and successful education which motivates them to gain qualifications.
Criticism - Positive Role Models in School
Most senior teachers [EX. Head Teachers] are male, boys do have positive male role models yet underachieve.
GCSEs and Coursework 1
1988 GCSEs were introduced and coursework became a major part of testing in all subjects.
Girls’ outperformance over boys has sharply risen.
GCSEs and Coursework 2
Mitsos and Browne
Due to the fact that girls are better organised and tend to spend more time and greater care over their work.
This is because of gender socialisation which encourages girls to be neat, tidy and patient.
Criticism - GCSEs and Coursework
CW been replaced with controlled assessment, can’t be re-drafted
girls are still doing better.
Elwood – exams have much more influence on the final grade than CW. CW couldn’t be causing such a huge difference in girls’ achievement.
Teacher Attention and Classroom Interactions 1
French In class boys receive more reprimands than girls
Teacher Attention and Classroom Interactions 2
Francis
Agrees and says boys are disciplined more harshly and feel picked on by teachers, who have lower expectations of boys.
Teacher Attention and Classroom Interactions 3
Swann
Points out the difference in communication styles:
- girls take turns and listen
- boys interrupt and dominate class interactions
Explain why teachers respond positively to girls than to boys giving them more praise.
May lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy thus increasing the girls’ self-esteem.
Criticism - Teacher Attention and Classroom Interactions
Stanworth – research shows both male and female teachers pay more attention to boys.
Challenging Stereotypes in the Classroom
Research in the 1970s and 1980s found that textbooks portrayed men and women in traditional, stereotypical roles.
Sexist images have been removed from textbooks and Weiner argues teachers now challenge prejudice.
This presents girls with positive images of women.
Criticism - Challenging stereotypes in the Classroom
Feminists would say education is still patriarchal, [EX. History lessons focus on men].
Selection and League Table
Jackson
Girls more desirable candidates, exams results are better. Tend to be offered places at high performing schools
- Lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of success
Boys seen as disruptive, liability for the school’s league table position, so are rejected by school at the top of the league table
- Go to schools at the bottom of the league table which receive lower funding, have poor resources and students underachieve.
