PAPER 1 (Education - Gender theories)

Question 1

Browne (2008)

Answer 1

Up until the 1980s there was major concern about females’ low achievement.

During the 1990s, females began to significantly outperform males.

The concern nowadays is that males tend to be underachieving compared to females.

Question 2

Sharpe (1976/1994)

Answer 2

Girls priorities:
1976 : Love, marriage, husbands then maybe jobs.
1994 : Career, independence, then maybe relationships.

Question 3

McRobbie

Answer 3

Magazines in the 70s emphasised the importance of getting married, whereas nowadays priorities have changed.

Question 4

Lobban

Answer 4

Found that in storybooks, females tend to be portrayed as dependent, passive, quiet & sensible. Whereas boys were more adventurous, active, independent & boisterous.

Question 5

1970 equal pay act

Answer 5

Makes it illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value.

Question 6

1975 discrimination act

Answer 6

Outlaws discrimination at work.

Question 7

Gorard (2005)

Answer 7

‘The gender gap’ in success rates increased dramatically in the academic year 1988/9. This coincides with the introduction of GCSEs which brought with it more coursework based assessments.

Question 8

Groddal (1994)

Answer 8

Boys are more likely to attract the teacher’s attention as they are more boisterous & disruptive.

Question 9

1988 Education Reform Act

Answer 9

Introduced ‘market principles’ into education. The aim was to instigate competition between schools in order to raise standards.

Question 10

Slee (1998)

Answer 10

Argues that boys are less attractive to schools because they are more likely to suffer from behavioural difficulties and are four times more likely to be excluded.

Question 11

Archer

Answer 11

Symbolic Capital - status, recognition and sense of worth.
(Nike identities)

Question 12

Evans (2009)

Answer 12

Studied 21 W/C sixth form girls. They wanted to go to university for their families instead of themselves.

Question 13

Clark and Douglas (2011)

Answer 13

58% of girls enjoyed reading, 43% of boys enjoyed reading.

Question 14

DFE (2022)

Answer 14

14% of Primary school teachers are male.

Question 15

Epstein (1998)

Answer 15

W/C boys are likely to be called ‘sissie’ or ‘swots’ as well as subject to homophobic harassment if they are seen to be doing their work.

Question 16

Read (2008)

Answer 16

Identified 2 ways teachers speak:
. Disciplinarian discourse = the teacher’s authority is made explicit and visible, for example, through shouting, an exasperated tone of voice or sarcasm.
. Liberal discourse = the teacher’s authority is implicit and invisible. The child-centred discourse involves ‘pseudo-adultification’: the teacher speaks to the child as if they’re an adult.

Question 17

Murphy

Answer 17

Set 2 tasks for primary + secondary school pupils.
1) design boats/vehicles
2) write an estate agent ad for a house
Boys designed sports cars, girls family cars, etc…

Question 18

Paetcher

Answer 18

Girls who choose sports are often stigmatised as it is seen to fall within the male gender domain.

Question 19

Mac an Ghaill

Answer 19

Suggests that male students & teachers perceive female pupils & colleagues from a typically hegemonic masculine perspective.

Question 20

Sewell

Answer 20

• Argues that schools have become feminised.
• He claims that traditional masculine attributes such as competitiveness and leadership are discouraged.
• Feminine attributes such as working methodically and being attentive are celebrated.
• Link to DFEs study, also the fact that 35% of secondary school teachers are male.

Question 21

Laura Bates

Answer 21

• Girls appearance is heavily policed in schools, especially uniforms. Sends the message that girls bodies are dangerous and they should be judged on their appearance.

Question 22

Askew and Ross

Answer 22

• Found that male teachers would intervene when students were disruptive in female teachers’ lessons, charging in and telling the students off.

Question 23

Haywood and Mac an Ghaill

Answer 23

• Found that male teachers told boys off for ‘behaving like girls’ and teased them for getting lower marks than girls.