Topic 3 - Ethnic Differences In Achievement

Question 1

What are the three external factors of ethnic differences?

Answer 1

Cultural deprivation
Material deprivation
Racism in wider society

Question 2

What are the three cultural deprivation factors of ethnic differences in achievement

Answer 2

Intellectual and Linguistic skills
Attitudes and values
Parental support & family structure

Question 3

How does the linguistic skills cause ethnic differences in achievement?

Answer 3

Lack of these skills is main cause of underachievement for minority children.
Many children from low income black families lack intellectual simulation and enriching experience = poorly equipped for school as they have not been able to develop reasoning and problem solving skills.

Children who don’t t speak english at home are help back educationally

Question 4

What do Gillborn & Mirza say about Indian pupils achievement?

Answer 4

That Indian pupils do very well despite often not speaking english at home.

Question 5

How do the attitudes and values of different ethnicities effect achievement?

Answer 5

CD theorists say black children are not socialised into being ambitious, committed, willing to make sacrifices.

In contrast, they argue that they are socialised into subculture that instals a fatalistic attitude

Question 6

How does the family structure & parental support if different ethnicities effect achievement?

Answer 6

CD theorists argue that some children arent socialised adequately due to a dysfunctional family structure.

Question 7

What do new right Charles Murray say about family structure and parental support?

Answer 7

High rate of lone parenthood and lack of positive role models leads to the underachievement of some minority’s

Question 8

What does Pryce say about Black underachievement? (Family structure and slavery)

Answer 8

That the family structure contributes to the underachievement of Black Caribbeans in the UK - as its less cohesive and less resistant to racism then the asian culture.

He also says that the expense of slavery was culturally devastating. Being transported & sold into slavery meant they lost their language, religion and and entire family system

Question 9

What does Sewell say about the underachievement of Black Caribbean/africans in the UK?

Answer 9

Thats its not the absence of father role models but lack of father nurturing; “tough love”. Without this, street gangs of other fatherless boys offer love and loyalty.

Many black boys are subject to powerful anti-educational peer pressure. Sewell says the biggest barrier to success was pressure from other boys.

Question 10

What is said about the White WC underachievement?

Answer 10

They have low aspirations, unlikely to go uni, lack of parental support, poor levels of behaviour/discipline. Do not see education as a form of social mobility .

Evans says - WC life can be quite brutal and intimidating - often family life is disrupted and disfunctional

Question 11

Why do asians achieve?

Answer 11

Indian pupils benefit from supportive families that have an ‘asian work ethic’ and place a high value on education.

Lupton states adult authority in asian family mirrors the school operation. Respectful behaviour is expected, having a knock on effect as parents are more likely to support the school policies. Theyre very supportive even though they dont know much about the processes and organisation of the school

Question 12

Why do chinese people achieve? What is Amy Chua’s theory

Answer 12

Amy Chua - ‘Tiger Mothers’ (Tough Love)

suggests chinese superiority parenting and tiger mothers drive their children hard in exams to even piano lessons. Lists if things ‘my daughters were never allowed to do:’

• attending sleepovers, playfates, school plays, not getting less than an A, not being top student in lessons, not playing violin or piano, watch TV or play games, not choose their won extra curriculum activities

Question 13

What are the negatives about asian “tough love”?

Answer 13

Strict & hard parenting may hamper students later in life - show that higher achieving chinese american teens are more anxious and less socially adjusted than white americans

Question 14

How does ethnic differences material deprivation effect achievement?

Answer 14

Lack of physical necessities that are seen as essential for life in todays theorists. MD theorists blame housing and low income for educational failure and that ethnic minorities are more likely to experience these problems.

Question 15

What does Palmer show about the material deprivation of ethnic minorities? (3 facts)

Answer 15

Almost half ethic minority’s live in low income households, unlike a 1/4 of white children.

Ethnic minorities households are 3x more likely to be homeless

1/2 most asians earn less than £7/hour compared to 1/4 of whites

Question 16

Why are ethnic minorities maybe at greater risk of material deprivation that results from employment, low pay and overcrowding?

Answer 16

Many live in economically depressed areas with high employment and low pay rates

Religion may effect women working outside of the home

Lack of language skills and foreign qualifications not being recognised in the UK

Racial discriminations in the UK labour and housing market

Question 17

How does racism in wider society effect achievement?

Answer 17

While MD and poverty impacts educational achievement of some ethnic minority children, some argue that poverty itself is a product of racism.

David Mason ‘discrimination is a continuing and persistent feature if the experience of Britains citizens of minority ethnic orgin

Question 18

What are the 4 internal factors of ethnic differences in achievement?

Answer 18

Labelling & teacher racism
Pupil Identities
Pupil responses
Institutional racism

Question 19

How has labelling effected different ethnic minorities?

Answer 19

Internationalists studies show that teachers often see black and asian pupils as being far from the “ideal pupils”

Question 20

What labels are Black students given?

Answer 20

Seen as disruptive.

Gillborn and Youdell found teachers are quicker to discipline black students regardless of behaviour vior. Teachers have racialised expectations.

Black pupils seen as presenting more discipline and threatening behaviours

Question 21

How do black pupils feel about teacher labelling?

Answer 21

That teachers under estimate their ability and believe that they are specifically picked on

Evidence suggests black boys are more likely to be permanently excludes and 1/5 get good 5 A*-C grades

Also more likely to be internally excluded, sent to PRV and placed in lower streams

Question 22

How are asians effected by labelling and teacher racism in schools?

Answer 22

Cecile Wright studied multi ethnic primary schools and found asian pupils were victims of teacher labelling

She found that teachers assumed they had poor grasp of english

Left out of class discussions,

Use simplistic language when talking to them

Mispronounced names

Asian girls in particular were marginalised and prevented from participating.

Question 23

What are Mirza’s 3 main types of teacher racism;

Answer 23

The colour blind (treat all equally but do not fight against racism)

The liberal chauvinists - (believe black are culturally deprived and have low expectations of them

The overt racists - believe blacks are inferior and discriminate against them

Question 24

What are Sewell’s 4 responses to schooling including racism?

Answer 24

The rebels -
(Express opposition through peer groups, conforming to the stereotypes of anti-authorities, anti school, ‘black macho lad’)

The conformists 
(anxious to avoid being stereotyped)

Retreatists -
(disconnect from both school and black subcultures, and were despised by rebels)

Innovators -
(Pro education but anti school)

Question 25

What are rebels?

Answer 25

Express their opposition to schools through peer group membership, following the stereotypes of anti-authority, anti school ‘black macho lads’

Question 26

What are conformists?

Answer 26

Anxious to avoid being stereotyped

Question 27

Whats an innovator? I

Answer 27

Someone who is pro education but anti school

Question 28

What is a retreatist

Answer 28

Disconnected from both school and black subcultures, and were despised by rebels

Question 29

What are the 4 points under institutional racism (internal ethic differences in achievement)

Answer 29

Marketisation & segregation
Ethnocentric curriculum
Assessment
Access to Opportunities

Question 30

What is the ethnocentric curriculum?

Answer 30

Describes an attitude/policy that gives priority to a culture/specific ethnic group

Question 31

Give examples of the ethnocentric curriculum within schools

Answer 31

Language literature and music:
David describes the national curriculum as a ‘specifically british’ curriculum that largely ignores non-european languages&music

History:
Ball says the national curriculum ignores ethnic diversity and promotes an attitude of ‘little englandism’ - they only teach about the rich kings and history etc