ethnic- external factors

Question 1

Lawson and Garrod (2000) define ethnic groups as…?

Answer 1

“people who share common history, customs and identity, as well as, in most cases, language and religion, and who see’s themselves as a distinctive unit.”

Question 2

What nationality’s do better than blacks on average?

Answer 2

Asians and Whites

Question 3

There are significant variations amongst Asians. What are they?

Answer 3

Indians on average tend to do better than Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.

Question 4

White pupils achievement are closest to the national average. Why?

Answer 4

They are by far the largest group (4/5 of all pupils). However W/C white pupils perform at lower level than that of other ethnic groups.

Question 5

There are also important gender and class differences within and between ethnic groups. What are they?

Answer 5

Gypsy/Roma and traveler children- girls do better than boys.
Within each ethnic group middle class children do better than working class children.

Question 6

What are the 3 external factors affecting ethnic differences in educational achievement?

Answer 6

1) Cultural deprivation
2) Material deprivation
3) Racism in wider society

Question 7

According to Cultural Deficit (CD) theorists, what is a key issue faced by children from low-income black families, and how does it affect their readiness for school?

Answer 7

Cultural Deficit theorists argue many children from low-income black families lack intellectual stimulation/enriching experiences. Consequently, this deficiency leaves them poorly equipped for school as they struggle to develop reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Question 8

How do Bereiter and Engelmann perceive the language spoken by low-income black American families, and what implications do they associate with it in terms of educational success?

Answer 8

Bereiter and Engelmann view the language spoken by low-income black American families as inadequate for educational success. They describe it as ungrammatical, disjointed, and incapable of expressing abstract ideas, suggesting that these linguistic characteristics may hinder academic achievement.

Question 9

What does official statistics in 2010 reveal about the educational performance of students with English as their first language compared to those without, and what do Gillborn and Mirza observe about the performance of Indian pupils in relation to home language?

Answer 9

Children who do not speak English at home is not a major factor affecting educational achievement.
2010-students with English as their first language (55.2%) and those without (52.0%), with only a 3.2-point gap in gaining five GCSE A*-C passes, including English and maths.

Contrary to concerns,
Gillborn and Mirza note that Indian pupils, despite not having English as their home language, perform very well academically.

Question 10

According to Cultural Deprivation (CD) theorists, what is asserted as another key reason for the educational struggles of black children, and how is it characterized?

Answer 10

CD theorists argue that lack of motivation is the reason why black children fail in education.

CD theorists argue that black children are socialized into a subculture that instills a fatalistic “live for today” attitude which doesn’t value education and leaves them unequipped for success.

Question 11

According to Cultural Deprivation (CD) theorists, what is identified as the consequence of a dysfunctional family structure, particularly in relation to the socialization of children?

Answer 11

Cultural Deprivation theorists argue that the failure to adequately socialize children is the result of a dysfunctional family structure. They assert that issues within the family’s structure hinder the proper socialization of children, contributing to educational challenges.

Question 12

According to Moynihan (1965), what does the prevalence of lone mothers in black families lead to, and how does this impact the children in terms of care and role modeling?

Answer 12

Black families- lone mother- lack of adequate care due to mother struggling financially in absence of male breadwinner.
Fathers absence- boys lack an adequate role model of male achievement.
Moynihan- cultural deprivation as a cycle where inadequately socialised children from unstable families fail at school and become inadequate parents themselves.

Question 13

According to Charles Murray from the New Right perspective, what factors does he attribute to the underachievement of certain minorities?

Answer 13

Charles Murray argues that a high rate of lone parenthood and a lack of positive male role models contribute to the underachievement of some minorities.

Question 14

What does Ken Price argue is one reason why Asians do better than Black Caribbean’s in relation to resistance to racism?

Answer 14

Asians-culture more resistant to racism and gives greater sense of self worth.
Black Caribbean’s- less cohesive and less resistant to racism. As result many black students have low self esteem and underachieve.

Question 15

What does Ken Price argue is one reason why Asians do better than Black Caribbean’s in relation to different impacts of colonialism on two groups?

Answer 15

Experience of slavery was culturally devastating for blacks. Being transported and sold into slavery meant they lost their language, religion and entire family system. By contrast Asian family structures, language and religion were not destroyed by colonial rule.

Question 16

What does Sewell argue?

Answer 16

Due to lack of fatherly nurturing or “tough love”. This results in black boys finding it hard to overcome the emotional and behavioral difficulties of adolescence.

Question 17

What does Sewell argue happens due to lack of fatherly nurturing or “tough love”?

Answer 17

street gangs of other fatherless boys offer black boys “perverse loyalty and love”. These present boys with a media inspired role model of anti-school black masculinity, who ideal (Chris Arnott 2004) describes as “ultra-tough ghetto superstar, an image constantly reinforced rap lyrics and MTV videos.

Question 18

What is the cause of black underachievement according to Sewell?

Answer 18

anti-educational Peer group pressure. Most of successful academic black boys Sewell interviewed stated that the greatest barrier to success was pressure from other boys.
speaking in standard English and doing well at school was often viewed with suspicion by their peers and seen as “selling out” to the white establishment.

Question 19

What does Sewell argue is the reason for black students doing worse then their Asian counterparts?

Answer 19

cultural differences in socialization and attitudes to education. As he puts it, while one group is being nurtured by MTV, the other group is clocking up the educational hours.

Question 20

How is Sewell’s idea criticized by Gillborn?

Answer 20

He argues it is not peer pressure but institutional racism within the education system itself.

Question 21

What is Sewell’s view on Asian families?

Answer 21

Indian and Chinese children benefit from supportive families that have an “Asian work ethic” and place a high value on education.

Question 22

How does Lupton support this?

Answer 22

argues adult authority in Asian families is similar to the model that operates in schools. She found respectful behaviors towards adults was expected from children, this had a knock on effect in schools since parents were more likely to be supportive of school behavioral policies.

Question 23

According to Andrew McCulloch (from his survey of 16,000 pupils) which nationality of students is less likely to go to university?

Answer 23

White British students less likely to go to uni then ethnic minority students.

Question 24

Why might this be the case?

Answer 24

lack of parental support.

Question 25

How does Lupton support this?

Answer 25

She studied 4 mainly w/c schools- 2 predominately white, one serving large Pakistani community and 4th mixed. She found teachers reported poorer levels of behavior and discipline in white w/c schools, despite having fewer children on FSM (common measure of poverty amongst pupils) . Teachers blamed on lack of parental support and negative attitudes towards education. Ethnic minority parents more likely to see as a “way up in society”

Question 26

What does Gillian Evans argue?

Answer 26

Street culture in white w/c areas can be brutal and so you people have to learn how to withstand intimidation and intimidate others, this power game that young people engage in may be brought into schools and bring disruption and making it hard for pupils to succeed.

Question 27

What is compensatory education?

Answer 27

Compensatory education: government run initiative aimed at tackling cultural disadvantage faced by working class children.

Question 28

examples of compensatory education?

Answer 28

In the UK the New Labor government (1997-2010) set up Sure Start centers to aid parents - these included drop in sessions with nurses and midwives, cooking and nutrition classes for parents, free playgroups for young children, and parenting classes.

Operation head start- in the USA to compensate children for the cultural deficit they are said to suffer because of deprived backgrounds.

Question 29

What is Geoffrey driver’s criticism of CD theory?

Answer 29

Criticizes for ignoring the positive effects of ethnicity on achievement. He shows, black Caribbean families, far from being dysfunctional, provides girls with positive role models of strong independent women. Driver argues this is why girls tend to be more successful in education than boys.

Question 30

Errol Lawrence criticism of CD theory?

Answer 30

challenges Prices view that black pupils fail because their culture is weak and they lack self esteem. He argues that black pupils underachieve not because of low self esteem, but because of racism.

Question 31

Keddie’s criticism of CD theory?

Answer 31

See’s CD theory as a victim blaming situation. She argues that ethnic minority children are culturally different, not culturally deprived. They underachieve because schools are ethnocentric biased in favor of white culture and against minorities.

Question 32

Criticism of compensatory education?

Answer 32

These critics oppose CE because they see it as an attempt to impose the dominant white culture on children who already have coherent culture of their own.

Question 33

What do they think should be put in place instead?

Answer 33

1) multicultural education: a policy that recognizes and values minority cultures and includes them in the curriculum.
2) anti-racist education- a policy that challenges the prejudice and discrimination that exists in schools and wider society.

Question 34

According to Guy Palmer (2012), what is the percentage of ethnic minority children living in low-income households compared to white children?

Answer 34

Almost half of all ethnic minority children live in low-income households, as opposed to a quarter of all white children (Palmer, 2012)

Question 35

In comparison to whites, how does the unemployment rate for ethnic minorities stand, as mentioned by whom in 2012? (? x bigger)

Answer 35

According to Guy Palmer (2012), ethnic minorities are almost twice as likely to be unemployed compared to whites.

Question 36

What percentage of Bangladeshi and Pakistani workers earned less than £7 per hour, as opposed to white British workers?

Answer 36

Almost half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani workers earned under £7 per hour, compared with only a quarter of white British workers.

Question 37

Name 5 Reasons why ethnic minorities may be at greater risk of material deprivation that results from unemployment, low pay and overcrowding.

Answer 37

1) *Many live in economically depressed areas with high unemployment and low wage rates.
*Cultural factors such: tradition of purdah in come Muslim households, which prevents women from working outside of the home.

• lack of language skills, and foreign qualifications not being recognised by UK employers. These are more likely to affect recently arrived groups, many of whom are refugees.

*Asylum seekers may not be allowed to take work.

*Racial discrimination in the labour market and housing market.

Question 38

John rex theory for racism in wider society?

Answer 38

Racial discrimination = social exclusion = worsens poverty

Question 39

Mike Noon experiment?

Answer 39

Sent identical (fake) letters to the top 100 companies in the UK
One signed Evans
One signed Patel
Same experience and qualifications
The number and helpfulness of replies were more encouraging to the ‘white’ candidate.
This explains why ethnic minorities are more likely to face unemployment and low pay which will have a negative effect on their children’s educational prospects.

Question 40

Wood et Al experiment for racism in wider society?

Answer 40

1) Sent three closely matched job applications to almost 1000 job vacancies.

2)Each application was a fictitious applicants using names associated with different ethnic groups.

3) For each job, one application appeared to come from a white person and two from members of minority groups.

4) Found that only one in sixteen ‘ethnic minority’ applications were offered an interview, whereas one in nine ‘white’ applications.