Knowt
January revision Topic 2: Ethnicity and educational achievement.
Intellectual and linguistic skills - cultural deprivation - external
Black children lack intellectual stimulation and lack enriching experiences. As a result, they do not develop the reasoning and problem solving skills that are needed for school. Linguistically, according to Beretier, the language spoken by low income families is ungrammatical and disjointed and so cannot express abstract ideas.
AO3 criticism of intellectual and linguistic skills: A criticism of this is the Swann report which had shown that language was not the majority factor in underachievement. Also black girls do well.
Indian children - Linguistically, it is thought that students who do not speak English as their home language are being held back. But, Mirza had found that Indian pupils were doing quit well in school despite English not being the language spoken at home.
Attitudes and values - external factor
Black children - some children are socialised into a subculture that instils a fatalistic ‘live for today’ attitude that does not value education.
AO3 criticism of attitudes and values - Connor had argued that ethnic minority parents place a higher value on education than white parents.
Family structure and parental support - External factor
Black children (family structure): Moynihan had argued that black families are likely to be headed by a lone mother. The absence if a father figure will lead to inadequately socialised children which lead to to the children failing in school. This will then turn into a cycle as the children who failed in school will become inadequate parents themselves.
Sewell had argued that boys who lack fatherly nurturing find it hard to cope with the emotional and behavioural issues with adolescence. They are likely to turn to street gangs for loyalty and love, and it is then the peer pressure from these gangs that stop them from achieving.
Asian and Chinese children: asian pupils do better because their culture is more resistant to racism and gives them a better sense of self worth. Unlike for Black Caribbean students, Asian family structures, languages and religions were not destroyed by colonial rule.
AO3 criticism of family structure and parental support: A criticism of this is that Gilbourn argues that it is not peer pressure that stops them from achieving but instead it is institutional racism.
AO3: Neil Keddie argued that there is a myth of cultural deprivation and that cultural deprivation is a victim blaming explanation.
AO3: Lawrence argues that the issues of low self esteem aren’t true issues as to why some ethnic minorities are underachieving, but instead states that the major cause for that underachievement is racism.
Material deprivation - external factor.
50% of ethnic minority children live in low income homes.
Ethnic minorities are 2x as likely to be unemployed. 3x as likely to be homeless.
AO3 criticism of material deprivation - A criticism of this is that Modood had stated that class does not override ethnicity. White student from deprived backgrounds still do better than ethnic minority students.
Racism in wider society - external factor.
Wood argued that 1 in 16 ethnic minority applicants would be called out to an interview compared to 1 in 9 whites. This shows that ethnic minorities were less likely to be called out to an interview even if they had the same level of qualifications and experience.
AO3 evaluation of racism in wider society - This point can then be linked back to material deprivation and that material deprivation is likely to be a result of racism in wider society.
Labelling - internal factor
Black children - Gillbourn and Youdell argued that teachers were quick to discipline black children because of racial stereotypes that the teachers held of them.
Gillbourn and Youdell had also argued that teachers had racialised expectations of black children. The teachers viewed black children as threatening and were placed in lower class sets.
AO3 evaluation of labelling: A criticism is that Gillbourn argues that this is not the result of a few racist teachers. Instead, this is the result of an institutionally racist system.
Pupil identities - internal factor.
Archer suggests that a teachers dominant discourse (the way the teacher defines something) often defines ethnic minorities as lacking the favoured attributes of the ideal pupil. A teachers dominant discourse creates three pupil identities: (1. the ideal pupil - white middle class) (2. the pathologised pupil - Asian, poor, conformist) (3. The demonised pupil - black or white, hyper - heterosexual, underachieving)
Asian girls - seen as passive, quiet and docile. When they challenged these stereotypes, they are punished more harshly.
AO3 evaluation of pupil identities - teachers holding these views and stereotypes of children and then treating them accordingly is likely to have a negative affect on the pupils self esteem. If a pupil, such as an asian girl, were to challenge the stereotype, the teacher would punish them more harshly and this would hurt their self esteem which would lead to them working less hard and they would then fall behind.
Pupil subcultures - internal factors
Mirza had argued that racist teachers had stopped black pupils from being ambitious through the careers advice that they had gave them. There are three types of racist teachers: (1. The colour blind - believes that all pupils are equal but yet does not challenge racism either.) (2. The Liberal Chauvinist - believes that black pupils are culturally and deprived and also has low expectations of them.) (3. The overt racist - actively discriminates against black pupils.)
Sewell found that black boys had responded to negative labels in 4 ways: (1. Rebels - the most visible but the smallest group, often reject the school) (2. Conformists - largest group, keen to succeed and work with the school) (3. Retreatists - those who were disconnected from the school. They are a minority.) (4. Innovators - second largest group. They are pro - education but anti-school)
AO3 criticism/ evaluation of pupil subcultures - Fuller and the black girls. The girls had rejected the negative labels that they were given and became anti-school but pro-education.
Marketisation + segregation- internal factor
Marketisation gives schools more scope to select pupils, however, it allows for negative stereotypes of certain races to influence decisions about school admissions.
Moore and Davenport had argued this and had also stated that marketisation has led to negative stereotypes being used as reason to exclude ethnic minority pupils.
AO3 criticism of marketisation and segregation: Open enrolment is now a policy meaning that a school now has to accept a pupil if it has space.
Ethnocentric curriculum - internal factor - institutional racism
A curriculum that reflects the culture if one ethnic group which is usually the dominant culture.
Williams argued that it only taught European languages
Ball had argued that it doesn’t really cover black or asian history and focuses on British history. If it does focus on black history, however, it is likely to cover it in a negative light with things such as slavery.
It revolves around a christian calendar and does not take into account any other cultures.
AO3 criticism of ethnically curriculum: A criticism is that the performance of asian pupils is above the national average so this is an incomplete explanation.
Assessment - internal factor - institutional racism
Gillbourn had argued that assessments were rigged so that the dominant culture is seen as superior. If black children start succeeding as a group then the rules are changed. Foundation Stage Profiling is based entirely on teachers judgements and is carried out at the end of reception which allows for teacher bias.
AO3 criticism of assessments - Sewell doesn’t believe this is enough of a reason by itself and sees external factors as more important.
Access to opportunities - internal factor - institutional racism
Gillbourn stated that white pupils are 2 times more likely to be put on gifted and talented programs.
Tilkly stated that black students are more likely to be entered for lower tier papers which caps their success to a grade 5.
AO3 evaluation of access to opportunities - the fact that asian pupils overcome these issues leads Gillbourn to believe that this conceals institutional racism. It portrays black pupils under achievement as an issues with their aspirations rather than a system that is working against them.
January revision Topic 2: Ethnicity and educational achievement.
Intellectual and linguistic skills - cultural deprivation - external
Black children lack intellectual stimulation and lack enriching experiences. As a result, they do not develop the reasoning and problem solving skills that are needed for school. Linguistically, according to Beretier, the language spoken by low income families is ungrammatical and disjointed and so cannot express abstract ideas.
AO3 criticism of intellectual and linguistic skills: A criticism of this is the Swann report which had shown that language was not the majority factor in underachievement. Also black girls do well.
Indian children - Linguistically, it is thought that students who do not speak English as their home language are being held back. But, Mirza had found that Indian pupils were doing quit well in school despite English not being the language spoken at home.
Attitudes and values - external factor
Black children - some children are socialised into a subculture that instils a fatalistic ‘live for today’ attitude that does not value education.
AO3 criticism of attitudes and values - Connor had argued that ethnic minority parents place a higher value on education than white parents.
Family structure and parental support - External factor
Black children (family structure): Moynihan had argued that black families are likely to be headed by a lone mother. The absence if a father figure will lead to inadequately socialised children which lead to to the children failing in school. This will then turn into a cycle as the children who failed in school will become inadequate parents themselves.
Sewell had argued that boys who lack fatherly nurturing find it hard to cope with the emotional and behavioural issues with adolescence. They are likely to turn to street gangs for loyalty and love, and it is then the peer pressure from these gangs that stop them from achieving.
Asian and Chinese children: asian pupils do better because their culture is more resistant to racism and gives them a better sense of self worth. Unlike for Black Caribbean students, Asian family structures, languages and religions were not destroyed by colonial rule.
AO3 criticism of family structure and parental support: A criticism of this is that Gilbourn argues that it is not peer pressure that stops them from achieving but instead it is institutional racism.
AO3: Neil Keddie argued that there is a myth of cultural deprivation and that cultural deprivation is a victim blaming explanation.
AO3: Lawrence argues that the issues of low self esteem aren’t true issues as to why some ethnic minorities are underachieving, but instead states that the major cause for that underachievement is racism.
Material deprivation - external factor.
50% of ethnic minority children live in low income homes.
Ethnic minorities are 2x as likely to be unemployed. 3x as likely to be homeless.
AO3 criticism of material deprivation - A criticism of this is that Modood had stated that class does not override ethnicity. White student from deprived backgrounds still do better than ethnic minority students.
Racism in wider society - external factor.
Wood argued that 1 in 16 ethnic minority applicants would be called out to an interview compared to 1 in 9 whites. This shows that ethnic minorities were less likely to be called out to an interview even if they had the same level of qualifications and experience.
AO3 evaluation of racism in wider society - This point can then be linked back to material deprivation and that material deprivation is likely to be a result of racism in wider society.
Labelling - internal factor
Black children - Gillbourn and Youdell argued that teachers were quick to discipline black children because of racial stereotypes that the teachers held of them.
Gillbourn and Youdell had also argued that teachers had racialised expectations of black children. The teachers viewed black children as threatening and were placed in lower class sets.
AO3 evaluation of labelling: A criticism is that Gillbourn argues that this is not the result of a few racist teachers. Instead, this is the result of an institutionally racist system.
Pupil identities - internal factor.
Archer suggests that a teachers dominant discourse (the way the teacher defines something) often defines ethnic minorities as lacking the favoured attributes of the ideal pupil. A teachers dominant discourse creates three pupil identities: (1. the ideal pupil - white middle class) (2. the pathologised pupil - Asian, poor, conformist) (3. The demonised pupil - black or white, hyper - heterosexual, underachieving)
Asian girls - seen as passive, quiet and docile. When they challenged these stereotypes, they are punished more harshly.
AO3 evaluation of pupil identities - teachers holding these views and stereotypes of children and then treating them accordingly is likely to have a negative affect on the pupils self esteem. If a pupil, such as an asian girl, were to challenge the stereotype, the teacher would punish them more harshly and this would hurt their self esteem which would lead to them working less hard and they would then fall behind.
Pupil subcultures - internal factors
Mirza had argued that racist teachers had stopped black pupils from being ambitious through the careers advice that they had gave them. There are three types of racist teachers: (1. The colour blind - believes that all pupils are equal but yet does not challenge racism either.) (2. The Liberal Chauvinist - believes that black pupils are culturally and deprived and also has low expectations of them.) (3. The overt racist - actively discriminates against black pupils.)
Sewell found that black boys had responded to negative labels in 4 ways: (1. Rebels - the most visible but the smallest group, often reject the school) (2. Conformists - largest group, keen to succeed and work with the school) (3. Retreatists - those who were disconnected from the school. They are a minority.) (4. Innovators - second largest group. They are pro - education but anti-school)
AO3 criticism/ evaluation of pupil subcultures - Fuller and the black girls. The girls had rejected the negative labels that they were given and became anti-school but pro-education.
Marketisation + segregation- internal factor
Marketisation gives schools more scope to select pupils, however, it allows for negative stereotypes of certain races to influence decisions about school admissions.
Moore and Davenport had argued this and had also stated that marketisation has led to negative stereotypes being used as reason to exclude ethnic minority pupils.
AO3 criticism of marketisation and segregation: Open enrolment is now a policy meaning that a school now has to accept a pupil if it has space.
Ethnocentric curriculum - internal factor - institutional racism
A curriculum that reflects the culture if one ethnic group which is usually the dominant culture.
Williams argued that it only taught European languages
Ball had argued that it doesn’t really cover black or asian history and focuses on British history. If it does focus on black history, however, it is likely to cover it in a negative light with things such as slavery.
It revolves around a christian calendar and does not take into account any other cultures.
AO3 criticism of ethnically curriculum: A criticism is that the performance of asian pupils is above the national average so this is an incomplete explanation.
Assessment - internal factor - institutional racism
Gillbourn had argued that assessments were rigged so that the dominant culture is seen as superior. If black children start succeeding as a group then the rules are changed. Foundation Stage Profiling is based entirely on teachers judgements and is carried out at the end of reception which allows for teacher bias.
AO3 criticism of assessments - Sewell doesn’t believe this is enough of a reason by itself and sees external factors as more important.
Access to opportunities - internal factor - institutional racism
Gillbourn stated that white pupils are 2 times more likely to be put on gifted and talented programs.
Tilkly stated that black students are more likely to be entered for lower tier papers which caps their success to a grade 5.
AO3 evaluation of access to opportunities - the fact that asian pupils overcome these issues leads Gillbourn to believe that this conceals institutional racism. It portrays black pupils under achievement as an issues with their aspirations rather than a system that is working against them.
