ETHNICITY AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

Why do children from some ethnic backgrounds do better than others?

STARTER

Write these ethnic groups in order of educational achievement from the most to the least successful.

White British Indian British Afro - Caribbean British Pakistani British Bangladeshi British Chinese British 1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

5 Mins

BEFORE WE START,....

1. What is the difference between race and ethnicity?

The term race refers to biological differences between people based on skin colour. As Sociologists, we dismiss these as a social construct - something created by society to justify slavery. There is no such thing as different races of people – there is only one race (species) of people and it’s the human race!

Ethnicity refers to a group with a shared history, culture and identity; including language, cuisine and religion.

FACTS! Indian British pupils are more likely to get 5+

A*- C grades, stay in education post-16 and go to university than any other ethnic group.

Afro-Caribbean pupils, especially boys, are 3 to 6 times more likely to be permanently excluded from school than other ethnic groups.

Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils get fewer GCSEs than any other ethnic group.

TASK 1

1. Cut out and read the cards.

2. Separate them into two columns – home factors that affect achievement and in school factors that affect achievement.

3. For each column, rank the factors in order of importance.

4. You can work in pairs to help each other out.

5. Glue them into your book. 20 Mins

INTERNAL V EXTERNAL FACTORS

The home factors (external) which explain the link between ethnicity and achievement:

1. Social class background

The in school factors which explain the link between ethnicity and achievement:

1. Labelling and teacher expectations

SOLUTION

The home factors which explain the link between ethnicity and achievement:

1. Social class background

2. Parental expectations

3. Cultural deprivation

The in school factors which explain the link between ethnicity and achievement:

1. Labelling and teacher expectations

2. Hidden curriculum3. Racism4. Lack of ethnic

minority teachers5. Type of school

EXTENSION

Why do Bangladeshi and Pakistani students under-perform in comparison to Indian students when their cultures of origin are very similar?

TASK 2

1. Work in pairs.

2. Follow the 4 step method to plan this essay:

How far would sociologists agree that schools are responsible for the relationship between ethnicity and achievement?

(12 marks)

20 Mins

STEP 1

How far would sociologists agree that schools are responsible for the relationship between ethnicity and achievement?

(12 marks)

STEP 2

How far would sociologists agree that schools are responsible for the relationship between ethnicity and achievement?

(12 marks)

Does what happens at school lead to different achievement of ethnic minority pupils?

STEP 3

NO, it is home factors that affect educational achievement of

different ethnic groups

YES, what happens at school disadvantages some ethnic

minority children

STEP 4

NO, it is home factors that affect educational

achievement

YES, what happens at school disadvantages some ethnic

minority children

Type of school

Labelling and teacher expectations

Hidden curriculum

Racism

Lack of ethnic minority teachers

Parental expectations

Social class background

Cultural deprivation

REVIEW 1. True or false? All ethnic minorities do badly at school. Afro-Caribbean pupils underachieve at school. Some of the explanations for why ethnic minority pupils

underachieve are very similar to why the working class pupils underachieve.

Material deprivation means that some ethnic minorities fail because they have too much money.

Some Sociologists argue that Afro-Caribbean families are more supportive of their children’s education than Indian families.

Many ethnic minorities underachieve as English is not their first language.

Indian pupils are labelled positively by teachers and Afro-Caribbean pupils are labelled negatively by teachers.

A subculture is a group with the same norms and values as everyone else.

Racism can cause ethnic minorities to underachieve.

False True

True

False

False

True

True

False True

ASSESSMENT Assessment for this term will take place next week

Complete for H/W. Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the

main function of schools is to teach children to become good citizens.

This essay will count towards your final assessment for this term

Deadline next Thursday 29th January.

The purpose of education - Sociological theories on

education – Functionalism and Marxism

Formal and informal education – National

Curriculum and hidden curriculum

Reforms of the British education system over the

last 40 years and the criticisms of these

educational reforms

Contemporary issues relating to the education

system such as faith schools, testing, special

needs

The alternative forms of education in Britain –

home schooling, private education

The factors affecting educational achievement -

social class

End of unit assessment – mock exam

The factors affecting educational achievement

– ethnicity

The factors affecting educational achievement

– gender

The factors affecting educational achievement

– school

Revision

Education in contemporary Britain –

structure, vocational education, marketisation,

LEARNING JOURNEY