The gender gap of achievement

Question 1

In the past what gender performed better than the opposing gender?

Answer 1

Boys out-performed girls

Question 2

What has happened since 1980s?

Answer 2

Since 1980’s girls have improved more rapidly and now they do better than boys at all levels and in most subjects.

Question 3

At GCSE, how many points ahead are girls to boys?

Answer 3

10 points ahead

Question 4

What was the gap between boys and girls getting C or above at GCSE?

Answer 4

In 2006 it was 7.7 but in 2016 it was 8.9 points

Question 5

At gcse the overall entrants in maths for girls and boys is what?

Answer 5

50.2% to boys and 49.8 for girls

Question 6

What are the percentage of entrants getting a grade 9 in maths for girls and boys?

Answer 6

58.4 for boys and 41.6%

Question 7

What does this show?

Answer 7

Boys from socialization are socialized to go into Maths and construction as it is felt from ‘male domain’. Girls are socialized in an expressive way, likely to play with toys, mothers are likely to read to them.

Question 8

At gcse the overall entrants in English for girls and boys is what?

Answer 8

50.9% for boys and 49.3% for girls

Question 9

At the start of school children are intitally given baseline assessments to explore basic understanding, what was the findings?

Answer 9

Curriculum authority found that girls scored higher in all tests.

Question 10

On vocational courses a large proportion of girls achieve what?

Answer 10

They achieve distinction in every subject, including those such as engineering/construction where girls are the minority.

Question 11

At as level…. finish off the sentence?

Answer 11

Girls are more likely to pass and get higher grades, although the gap is much narrower than at GCSE.

Question 12

What does this show (A03)?

Answer 12

Boys are narrowing the gender gap to the top grades e.g. in 2016 the attainment of boys for boys achieving a high score is 16% whereas girls is 22%.

Question 13

At higher education… finish of sentence?

Answer 13

Before 1997 boys were more likely to stay for higher education than girls, those trends have reversed( however its important to note more girls and boys are staying on in higher education than ever before)

Question 14

What are the 4 external factors that influence Girls achievement?

Answer 14

The impact of feminism
Changes in family
Changes in women’s employment
Girls changing ambitions

Question 15

What has the influence of feminism had on women’s achievement (including sociologist)?

Answer 15

Since 1960’s, feminists have challenged patriarchy and rejected the traditional stereotypes of women as inferior to men in home. Feminists have had an impact on Women’s rights and opportunities for example
McRobbie (1994) – study of girls’ magazines. They emphasized the importance of marriage whereas now, they contain images of assertive, independent women.

Question 16

Why will this lead to women’s achievement (impact of feminism?

Answer 16

These changes encouraged by feminism may affect girls’ self esteem and ambitions in terms of family and careers. As a result they are more motivated to do well in education.

Question 17

What have changes of family has there been?

Answer 17

Increased divorce rate
Increase in cohabitation
More lone-parent families
Smaller families

Question 18

Why have these changes in family lead to girls achievement?

Answer 18

These changes affect girls attitudes, more women may need to take on the breadwinner role which is a new role model for girls. They need to be able to achieve independence by working hard and getting a well-paid job, so gives them motivation to do well in education.

Question 19

What changes have there been in women’s employment?

Answer 19

1970 Equal pay act – illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value.

1975 Sex discrimination act – outlaws discrimination in the workplace

Question 20

Why are these changes likely to lead to girls achievement?

Answer 20

As a result of these changes, girls today have more incentive to see their future in terms of paid work and this creates an incentive for them to gain qualifications.

Question 21

What changes have their been in girls changing aspirations including sociologist?

Answer 21

Sharpe’s (1994) interviews with girls in the 70’s and 90’s showed a major shift in the way girls see their future. In the 70’s, girls had low aspirations and believed educational success was unfeminine. Priorities were marriage, husband, children. In the 90’s, being able to support themselves was a main priority and were more likely to see their future as being an independent women with a career.

Question 22

Why are these changes likely to lead to girls achievement?

Answer 22

Girls are now likely to have higher career aspirations and so need to get high qualifications.

Question 23

What is an AO3 evaluation that links class, gender and ambtion together to do with Working class girls?

Answer 23

Working class girls are likely to have the same gender-stereotyped aspirations such as marriage and children and expect to go into traditional low paid, women’s work.

Question 24

What does Dianne raey (2002) say about working class girls?

Answer 24

This reflects the reality of the working class girls class position. Their limited aspirations reflect their limited job opportunities they perceive as being available to them. (from previous point)

Question 25

What are the 5 internal factors that lead to girls achievement?

Answer 25

``` Equal opportunities policies Role models Coursework Teacher attention selection and league tables ```

Question 26

What is equal opportunities all about?

Answer 26

Feminists believe that boys and girls are equally capable and should have the same opportunities, which is widely accepted for example GIST (girls into science & technology) and; WISE (women into science & engineering) encourage girls to pursue careers in these educational areas. Also national curriculum being introduced in 1988 means girls and boys do study same subjects e.g. science being compulsory.

Question 27

What is the result of equal opportunities in school?

Answer 27

As a result of such policies, education is now more meritocratic, meaning girls have more equal opportunity than in the past.

Question 28

What is the influence of role models all about.

Answer 28

Increase in proportion of female teachers/heads. Women in senior positions provide role models for girls. e.g. there have been and increase in head teachers in secondary school since 1992 and 2012.

Question 29

How does the influence of role models influence girls achievement?

Answer 29

The presence of more female teachers also 'feminises' learning environment and encourages girls to see school as a part of female 'gender domain'. As a result they come to perceive educational success as desirable feminine characteristic.

Question 30

What is the impact of coursework all about including 3 sociologist?

Answer 30

Gender gap increased sharply when GSCE was introduced in 1988 because coursework was a large percentage in most subjects – Gorard (2005). Mitsos and Browne (1998) – girls more successful in coursework because they’re more conscientious, organised and spend more time on their work.

Question 31

What is an A03 evaluation for the influence in coursework including sociologist?

Answer 31

Elwood (2005) notes that exams have more influence on final grades, so introduction of coursework had only limited effect on gender differences in achievement.

Question 32

What is teacher attention all about (including sociologists)?

Answer 32

French (1993) – boys receive more attention as they attract more reprimands. And also Swann found that boys dominate class discussions, whereas girls prefer group work and better at listening and cooperating.

Question 33

Why is the influence of teacher attention likely to raise girls achievement?

Answer 33

Teachers are likely to respond more positively to give and give them more encouragement than boys. This may lead to a SFP because of successful interactions, promoting girls self-esteem Teachers are also likely to have lower expectations of boys.

Question 34

What is Selection and league tables all about (including sociologist)

Answer 34

Jackson (1998) – exam league tables have improved opportunities for girls. High achieving girls are attractive to schools, low achieving boys are not, they are likely to misbehave and be excluded (4 times as likely to be excluded than girls). Schools see boys as liability students who give poor image and results This creates SFP.

Question 35

How does selection and league tables lead to girls achievement.

Answer 35

As a result, girls are more likely to get places in successful schools. In turn, girls get a better education and achieve more.

Question 36

What are the 2 views of girls achievement?

Answer 36

Liberal and radical feminists

Question 37

What are liberal feminists views?

Answer 37

celebrate progress made so far, further progress will be made by continuing development of equal opportunities policies, encouraging positive role models and overcoming sexist attitudes/stereotypes. Similar to functionalist view that education is a meritocracy.

Question 38

What are Radical feminists views (including sociologist) ?

Answer 38

Radical feminists – they emphasize that the ed system remains patriarchal. 1) Sexual harassment of girls continues at school 2) Education limits girls’ subject choices and career options. 3) Women are under-represented in the curriculum. E.g. . Weiner describes the secondary school history curriculum as a “woman free zone.”

Question 39

Are all girls successful in school?

Answer 39

No there are social class differences in girls achievement

Question 40

What is an example that working class girls are not successful?

Answer 40

In 2013, only 40.6% of girls from poorer families(those eligible for free school meals) achieved five A*-C GCSEs, whereas over two thirds of those not on free school meals did so.o

Question 41

How does symbolic capital link to working class underachievement including sociologist?

Answer 41

Louis Archer et al (2010) said that There is conflict between WC girls’ feminine identities and the values of the school. By performing WC identities, symbolic capital is gained from peers however this clashes with the school, preventing them from educational capital (qualifications) and economic capital (MC careers)..

Question 42

What does Louis archer identify?

Answer 42

Archer identifies 3 strategies girls followed for creating a valued sense of self worth.

Question 43

What are the 3 strategies girls followed for creating a valued sense of self worth?

Answer 43

Hyper-heterosexual feminine identities Boyfriends Being 'loud'

Question 44

What Hyper-heterosexual feminine identities bring symbolic capita to girls?

Answer 44

Many girls construct 'glamorous' identities that earn symbolic capital from their female peers but cause conflict with school over their appearance. This school the girls' culture as worthless.

Question 45

Why does having boyfriends give symbolic capital?

Answer 45

Having a boyfriend brings symbolic capital but lowers girls aspirations e.g. not wanting to go to university and aspiring to “settle down,” have children.

Question 46

Why does Being 'loud' give symbolic capital to girls?

Answer 46

Being outspoken, independent and assertive. This conflicts with the ideal pupil identity and with teachers who interpret behaviour as aggressive.

Question 47

Do all working class girls fail including sociologist?

Answer 47

Some working class girls do succeed, but Evans (2009) found they may still be disadvantaged by their by their gender and class identities. Girls wanted to go to university to increase their earning power and help their families but choose to live at home ,reflecting their working class feminine habitus. The cost of living away and fear of debt was further reason, and this limited their choices and further earning power.

Question 48

How might Marxist feminsits critque the idea that external factors like employment and shifts in the family are leading to greater success?

Answer 48

TBA

Question 49

What are the 5 internal and external factors that lead to boys underachievement?

Answer 49

``` Literacy Feminisation of schooling Lack of male primary school teachers Lack of male role models at home Laddish subcultures ```

Question 50

What does Literacy got to do with boys underachievement?

Answer 50

The gender gap is mainly the result of boys’ poorer literacy and language skills. One reason may be that parents spend less time reading to their sons or that it is mainly mothers who do most of the reading to young children so see reading as a female activity. Also boys leisure interests (sports and computer games) don't encourage language and communication skills, whereas girls 'bedroom culture 'does.

Question 51

Why does Poor literacy lead to underachievement of boys?

Answer 51

Because language and literacy are important in most subjects, boys' poorer skills have a wide-ranging effect on their achievement.

Question 52

What is an AO3 evaluation point to suggest that literacy of boys is improving?

Answer 52

The government has introduced policies to improve skills: The National Literacy Strategy focuses on improving boys’ reading. Playing For Success uses football and other sports to boost learning skills and motivation amongst boys.

Question 53

What is the feminisation of schooling got to do with boys underachievement (Including sociologist)?

Answer 53

Sewell (2006) sees that education has become “feminised,” that schools do not celebrate leadership or competitiveness, rather qualities more associated with girls like methodical working and attentiveness in class. Coursework is also a major cause of gender differences in achievement.

Question 54

What has the lack of primary school teachers got to do with boys underachievement?

Answer 54

Only 14% of primary school teachers are male and 39% of boys aged 8 – 11 have never had a lesson taught by a male teacher. Primary schools have become feminised with female teacher who are unable to control boys’ behaviour.

Question 55

Why might the lack of primary school teachers lead to boys underachievement?

Answer 55

This gives the idea that education is a feminine activity

Question 56

What is AO3 evaluation to the point that the lack of primary school teachers lead to boys underachievement as female teachers are unable to control boys' behavior (including sociologist)?

Answer 56

Read(2008) critices the claim that only male teachers can exert the firm discipline boys need. She find that female teachers can adopt the disciplinarian discourse ( shouting which is seen as masculine). Read found that female teachers also used this style.

Question 57

Why is a lack of male role models at home lead to boys underachievement?

Answer 57

The increasing number of lone parent families (around 1.5 million) means that now boys grow up lacking a positive role model who goes out to work to support family. As a result these boys are less likely to see the value of employment and therefore also qualifications.

Question 58

What does Laddish subcultures got to do with (including sociologist) ?

Answer 58

Epstein (1998) found that pro-school working class boys were likely to be harrassed and labelled as gay and subjected to verbal abuse

Question 59

Why do anti-school boys pick on pro-school boys?

Answer 59

This is because education by anti-school boys are seen as feminine activity

Question 60

Who evidence is there to suggest why boys see school as a feminine activity (including sociologist)?

Answer 60

Francis (2001) – boys were more concerned than girls about being labelled by their peers as swots because this threatens their masculine identity.

Question 61

What is the moral panic about boys all about (including sociologist?

Answer 61

Ringrose (2013) argues that the moral panic about failing boys' has lead to neglect of problems faced by girls e.g. sexual harassment and stereotyped subject choice.

Question 62

Why can class be seen as the biggest driving factor behind educational underachievement?

Answer 62

I think that class is the biggest driving factor to underachievement. Class gap is 3 times wider than gender gap. Girls and boys of the same social class tend to achieve fairly similar results e.g. at GCSE, the gender gap within any social class is rarely greater than 12% , however, by contrast, pupils of the same gender but different social classes achieve widely different results e.g. girls from the highest social class can be as much as 44 points ahead of girls from lower social class.

Question 63

Why can gender be seen as the biggest driving factor behind educational underachievement?

Answer 63

Gender also influences achievement itself depending on the pupils class itself. e.g. black Caribbean pupils gender gap is greater than any other ethnic group.

Question 64

Why can gender, class and ethnicity be seen all as Why can gender be seen as the biggest driving factor behind educational underachievement?

Answer 64

All intertwine e,g being female raises performance when added to being black Caribbean than it does when added to being white

Question 65

What do sociologist identify in subject choice between girls and boys?

Answer 65

There continues to be a pattern of “girls subjects” and “boys subjects.” Where choice is possible, in the national curriculum and after 16, boys and girls tend to follow different gender routes through the education system. E.g. boys chose maths/physics and girls chose modern languages.

Question 66

At A-level what is the percentage of boys and girls picking Computing 2016?

Answer 66

93% for boys and 7% for girls

Question 67

At A-level what is the percentage of boys and girls picking Performing / Expressive arts in 2016 ?

Answer 67

92% girls and 7% boys

Question 68

What is the percentage of Vocational apprenticeships of boys and girls in picking Children's care?

Answer 68

99% girls and 1% boys

Question 69

What is the percentage of Vocational apprenticeships of boys and girls in picking Vehicle maintenance & repair?

Answer 69

98% is male and 2% is female

Question 70

At higher education what is the percentage of women and men going into the career of teaching?

Answer 70

80.3% are female but 19.7% are male

Question 71

How Many more boys are there doing engineering than girls at higher education?

Answer 71

There are over 100,000

Question 72

What are the 4 factors responsible for gender differences in subject choice?

Answer 72

Early socialization Peer pressure Gendered subject images Gendered career opportunities

Question 73

Why is Early socialisation an explanation for subject choice (including 3 sociologist)?

Answer 73

Norman (1988) from an early age, boys and girls are dressed differently, given different toys and encouraged to take part in different activities. Murphy and Elwood (1998( found that boys read hobby books and information texts and so prefer science subjects, while girls read stories about people and prefer English.

Question 74

Why is Gender domains an explanation for subject choice?

Answer 74

Tasks and activities that boys and girls see as male or female “territory” and therefore relevant to themselves. E.g. mending a car is a male gender domain. Children are more confident when engaging in tasks they see as part of their gender domain.

Question 75

Why is Gender identity and peer pressure an explanation for subject choice(including sociologist)?

Answer 75

Boys tend to opt out of music and dance because these fall outside their gender domain and are likely to attract a negative response from peers. Dewar (1990) – found male pupils may call sporty girls “lesbian” or “butch.”

Question 76

What is an A03 evaluation point for Gender identity and peer pressure?

Answer 76

Pupils in single-sex schools may less traditional subject choices. this may be because there is no opposite-sex peer pressure to conform to gender stereotypical subject choice.

Question 77

Why is Gendered subject images an explanation for subject choice (including sociologist)?

Answer 77

Kelly argues Science is seen as a boys’ subject for several reasons: Science teachers are usually male The examples teachers use, those in textbooks, often draw on boys’ interests In science lessons, boys monopolise the apparatus and dominate the lab as if its theirs

Question 78

What is an evaluation point for Gendered subject images?

Answer 78

Pretty curious campaign challenging female stereotypes and gender subjects.

Question 79

From girls guides excellent 2014, girls attitudes survey how many girls from 11-16 and 17-21 thought that stem subjects where 'more for boys'

Answer 79

Over half of girls aged from 11-16 and 17-21

Question 80

Why is Gendered career opportunities an explanation for subject choice?

Answer 80

Employment is gendered, jobs are sex typed as “men’s” or “women’s.” Women’s jobs often involve work similar to that performed by housewives. This affects ideas of what jobs are possible or acceptable; if boys get the message that nursery nurses are female, they will be less likely to opt for a course in childcare.

Question 81

Working class girls make decisions about courses based on what?

Answer 81

Traditional gender identity

Question 82

What are 3 different ways in which pupils' experiences in school help construct and reinforce their gender and sexual identities?

Answer 82

Double standards Verbal abuse The male gaze

Question 83

Pupils school experiences may reinforce their gender and sexual identities which produces what (including sociologist)?

Answer 83

Connell (1995) argues that school reproduces 'hegemonic masculinity' (the dominance of heterosexual masculine identity and subordination of female and gay identities.

Question 84

What would feminists argue ?

Answer 84

Feminists argue that experiences in school act as a form of social control to reproduce patriarchy - male domination and female subordination.

Question 85

Why does Verbal abuse act as a form of social control to reproduce patriarchy (reinforce traditional identities)(including sociologist)?

Answer 85

Boys use name calling to put down girls. It also shapes gender identity and maintains male power. Lees (1986) notes that boys call girls' 'slags' if they appear sexually available, but there is no equivalent for males

Question 86

Does the labels from verbal abuse actually reflect the behavior?

Answer 86

These labels don't reflect actual behavior ; they reinforce gender norms - e.g. boys may be called 'gay' simply for having female friends

Question 87

Why does Double standards act as a form of social control to reproduce patriarchy(reinforce traditional identities) including sociologist)?

Answer 87

Exist when one set of moral standards is applied to one group but a different set to another group. For example, Lees (1993) found that boys boast about their own sexual exploits, but label girls' negatively for the same behaviour.

Question 88

Why does Male gaze act as a form of social control to reproduce patriarchy (reinforce traditional identities) including sociologist)?

Answer 88

Mac and Ghalli say the male gaze Is a form of social control where male pupils and teachers look girls up and down as sexual objects. Boys who don't participate may be labelled 'gay' which is also a form of social control.

Question 89

'Gender differences in subject choice remain relatively unchanged in what?

Answer 89

Both in academic and vocational courses.