Internal Factors And Gender Differences In Achievment

What have feminist ideas had a major impact on?

The education system: policymakers re now much more aware of gender issues and teachers are more sensitive to the need to avoid stereotyping. The belief that boys are girls are entitled to the same opportunities is now part of mainstream thinking and it influences educational policies.

What do policies such as GIST (Girls into science and technology) encourage?

Girls to pursue careers in these non-traditional areas. Female scientists have visited schools, acting as role models; efforts have been made to raise science teachers’ awareness of gender issues; non-sexist careers advice has been provided and learning materials in science reflecting girls interests have been developed.

What did the introduction of the national curriculum in 1988 remove?

One source of gender inequality by making girls and boys study mostly the same subjects, which was often not the case previously.

What does Boaler see the impact of equal opportunities as?

A key reason for the changes in girls’ achievement. Many of the barriers have been removed and schooling has become more meritocratic so that girls, who generally work harder than boys, achieve more.

In schools, what has there been as increase in?

The proportion of female teachers and heads. These women in senior positions may act as role models for girls, showing them women can achieve positions of importance and giving them non-traditional goals to aim for.

What do some sociologists argue about the way pupils are assessed?

That it has favoured girls and disadvantaged boys.

What did Gorard find?

That the gender gap in achievement was fairly constant from 1975 until 1989, when it increased sharply. This was the year in which GCSE was introduced, bringing with it coursework as a major part of nearly all subjects.

What does Gorard conclude?

That the gender gap in achievement is a ‘product of the changed system of assessment rather than any more general failing of boys‘.

What do Mitos and Browne conclude?

They support the view of Gorard and conclude that girls are more successful in coursework because they are more conscientious and better organised than boys. Girls:

• Spend more time on their work.

• Take more care with the way it is presented.

• Are better at meeting deadlines.

• Bring the right equipment and materials to lessons.

They argue these factors have helped girls to benefit from the introduction of coursework in GCSE and A Levels.

What has come along with the GCSE?

The greater use of oral exams.

How are oral exams said to benefit girls?

cause of their generally better developed language skils.

What do sociologists argue about these characteristics of girls?

That they are the result of early gender role socialisation in the family. For example, girls are more likely to be encouraged to be neat, tidy and patient. These qualities become an advantage in today’s assessment system, helping girls achieve greater success than boys.

What does Elwood argue?

That although coursework has some influence on the gap in achievement, it is unlikely to be the cause of the fender gap because exams have much more influence than coursework on final grades.

Do teachers interact with boys and girls the same?

The way teachers interact with boys and girls differently.

What were the findings of French?

Analysing classroom interaction, he found that boys received more attention because they attracted more reprimands.

What did Francis find?

That while boys got more attention, they were disciplined more harshly and felt picked on by teachers, who tended to have lower expectations of them.

What did Swann find?

Gender differences in communication styles. Boys dominate in whole-class discussions, whereas girls prefer pair-work and group-work and are better at listening and cooperating. When working in groups, girls’ speech involves turn taking, and not the hostile interruptions that often characterise boys’ speech.

What might differences in girls’ and boys’ behabiour explain?

Why teachers respond more positively to girls, whom they see as cooperative, than to boys, whom they see as potentially disruptive. This may lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy in which successful interactions with teachers promote girls self esteem and raise their achievement levels.

What do some sociologists argue about the removal of gender stereotypes from textbooks, reading schemes and learning materials in recent years.

That it has removed a barrier to girls’ achievement.

What has research in the 1970s and 80s found?

That reading schemes portrayed women mainly as housewives and mothers, that physics books depicted boys as more inventive.

What does Weiner argue?

That since the 1980s, teachers have challenged such stereotypes. Also in general, sexist images have been removed from e=learning materials. This may have helped raise girls’ achievement by presenting them with more positive images of what women can do.

What have marketisation policies created?

A more competitive climate in which schools see girls as desirable recruits because they achieve better exam results.

What does Jackson note?

That the introduction of exam league tables has improved opportunities for girls: high-achieving girls are attractive to schools whereas low achieving boys are not. This tends to create self-fulfilling prophecy - because girls are more likely to be recruited by good schools, as they are more likely to do well.

What does Slee argue?

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.

While there have clearly been changes in gender and educational achievement, what do sociologists differ in?

Their interpretation of the importance of these changes.

How do liberal feminists view the change in educational achievement?

They celebrate the progress made so far in improving achievement. They believe that further progress will be made by continuing the development of equal opportunities policies, encouraging positive role models and overcoming sexist attitudes and stereotypes.

What is the liberal feminist view similar to?

The functionalist view that education is a meritocracy where all individuals, regardless of gender, ethnicity or class are given an equal opportunity to achieve.

What do radical feminists say about the change in gender and educational achievement?

They take a more critical view, while they recognise that girls are achieving more, they emphasise that the system remains patriarchal and conveys the clear message that it is still a man’s world.

What are examples of the system still being patriarchal?

• Sexual harassment of girls continues at schools.

• Education still limits girls’ subject choices and career options.

• Although there are now more female head teachers, male teacher are still more likely to become heads of secondary schools.

• Women are under-represented in many areas of the curriculum. For example, their contribution to history is largely ignored. Weiner describes the secondary school history curriculum as ‘‘woman-free-zone.