gender differences in education

Question 1

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT - Boys and Literacy

Answer 1

According to the DCSF (2007) the gender gap is mainly the result of boys poorer literacy and language skills. one reason for this may be that parents spend less time reading to their sons. And the other is that mothers read to their children which feminises it. Also boys leisure pursuits such as football do little to develop their language skills. unlike girls who have a bedroom culture.

Question 2

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT - Globalisation and the decline of traditional men’s jobs

Answer 2

Since the 1980s their has been a significant decline in men’s jobs in the heavy industries such as iron and steel. this has been partly due to globalisation of the economy. because of the decline boys think that their is no point in trying if their are no jobs to get so don’t qualifications.

Question 3

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT- Feminisation of education:

Answer 3

Tony Sewell is reported as claiming that boys fall behind because education has become feminised hat is schools do not nurture masculine traits such as competitiveness and leadership, instead, they celebrate qualities more closely associated with girls. Sewell also sees course work as a major cause of gender differences in achievement. he says that some coursework should be replaced by final exams.

Question 4

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT -Shortage of male primary school teachers:

Answer 4

The lack of male role models both at home and at school is said to be the cause of boys underachievement. because the culture of the primary school has become feminised as a result of being staffed by female teachers, who are unable to control boys behaviour.

Question 5

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT

Answer 5

At more male teachers needed - A disciplinarian discourse the teacher’s authority
is made explicit and visible (shouts at child). A liberal discourse the teachers
authority is implicit and invisible teacher talks to them like they are adults.

Question 6

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT - Laddish subculture

Answer 6

Debbie Epstein (1998) examined the way masculinity is constructed within school. She found that working class boys were likely to be harassed called sissies. She says that boys are more bothered about been negatively labelled because it affects their masculinity.

Question 7

BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT - The moral panic about boys -

Answer 7

Critics argue that policies that promote girls success are at a price of boys achievement. Jessica Ringrose (2013) argues that this moral panic has caused a major shift in educational policies. which is preoccupied with raising boys achievement. And this cause negative effects like narrowing equal
opportunities policy down simply to failing boys, and they are ignoring working class and ethnic problems, and it ignores other problems faced by girls in school this includes sexual harassment, bullying etc.

Question 8

National curriculum

options -

Answer 8

Where there is a choice in subject

boys and girls choice differently.

Question 9

GENDER AND SUBJECT CHOICE - Vocational courses:

Answer 9

This prepare students for a certain
career, and gender segregation is very noticeable here. for example working class girls would go vocational jobs such as hair and beauty that reflected there habitus.

Question 10

GENDER AND SUBJECT CHOICE - AS and A levels:

Answer 10

Gender subject choice becomes more

noticeable at 16 when students have more choice. This calls in question the effectiveness of GIST and WISE

Question 11

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE - Gendered career opportunities:

Answer 11

An important reason for different sublect choice is the fact that employment is highly gendered by male and female domains.males often dominated the particle career paths making it less attractive to girls

Question 12

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE - gender identity and peer pressure:

Answer 12

Gender choice can be influenced
by peer pressure. Thev may apply peer pressure to someone who they
disapprove of their subject choice. for example girls who do sport are
often judged all made fun of and called names like butch and lesbian,

Question 13

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE - Single-sex schooling -

Answer 13

Pupils who attend single sex schooling tend to hold less stereotyped subject image and less traditional aubject choices. this maybe because there Is no peer pressure from the opposite gender, so ny are more likely feel more confident in these subjects.

Question 14

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE - Gendered subject image -

Answer 14

Science teacher are more likely to be men, the
examples of teachers use or in textbooks, in a science class boys dominate the equipment, this would therefore put girls off from picking this subject because they already feel like they wont be good at it, IT are machines which is part of boys domain, The way IT is taught is off putting.

Question 15

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE: Gender domains -

Answer 15

Carol Ross says Gender domains are shaped by their early experiences and expectations of adults.it means the tasks and activities that boys and girls see as male or female territory, students feel
more confident and comfortable in their own gender domain meaning that
they are more likely to choice subjects best suited to these domains, also
research shows that boys pay more attention to how things are made
whereas girls look at how people feel meaning boys are more likely to
pick science and girls humanities

Question 16

EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE - Gender role socialisation:

Answer 16

-Is the process of learning the benaviour expected of males and females in society. Early socialisation shapes children from early ages boys and giris are dressed differently and given different toys. As a result boys and
girls develop different tastes in reading boys read information and girls read stories.
Elwood savs this is the reason whv airs and bov choice these different subiect

Question 17

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES - Male peer groups:

Answer 17

Male peer groups also use verbal abuse to reinforce their definitions of masculinity. Epstein study shows that boys in anti school subcultures would accuse boys of trying in school. Martin Mac an Ghaill (1994) study of parbell school examines how peer groups reproduce a range of different class-based masculine gender identities.

Question 18

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES - double standards

Answer 18

exists when we apply one set of moral standards
to one group but different set another group. Sue lees (1993) identifies
a double standards of sexual morality in which boys boast about their
own sexual exploits, but girls would be called a slag if she did this.
Feminists see these as double standards as an example of a
patriarchal ideology that justifies male power and devalues women.

Question 19

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES - verbal abuse

Answer 19

This is one of the ways in which dominant gender and sexual identities are reinforced. Paecher see name
calling as helping to shape gender identity and maintain male
power. For example boys would call girls slags and other names
making sure that they were in charge and in control.

Question 20

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES - The male gaze

Answer 20

• There is also a visual aspect to the way pupils control each others identities. Mac and Ghaill refers to this as the male gaze. the way in which male pupils and teachers look up and down at girls like they are sexual objects and making judgement on
  their appearance. which dominant heterosexual masculinity is
  reinforced and femininity devalued.

Question 21

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES - teacher and discipline:

Answer 21

Research shows the teachers also play a part reinforcing dominant definitions of gender identity, sociology found that male teachers told boys off for behaving like girls and teased them when they gained lower marks in tests than girls, teacher tended to ignore boys verbal abuse of girls and even blamed girls for attracting it. Sue Askew and carol Ross (1988) show how male teachers behavior can subtly reinforce messages about gender.

Question 22

PUPILS SEXUAL AND GENDER SUBCULTURES- Female peer groups:policing identity -

Answer 22

Working class girls gain symbolic capital from their female peer by performing a hyper-heterosexual feminine identity, they do this by constructing a
glamorous or sexy look by using certain brands and styles. Girls are faced with a choice. an
idealised feminine identity of showing loyalty to the female peer group, being non-competitive
and getting along with everybody in the friendship culture. A sexualised identity that involved
competing for boys in the dating culture. girls where at risk from getting a boffin identity Girls who
want to be successful educationally may feel the need to conform to the schools notion of the
ideal feminine pupil identity.