Sociology Revision Notes
Ethnicity and Achievement
Ethnicity and Achievement: External factors- cultural deprivation
- Intellectual skills + Linguistic skills- lack of intellectual stimulation and enriching
experiences, those who don’t speak the language school uses will see language as a
barrier
- Attitudes and values- lack of motivation in black and ethnic minority children, they
have fatalistic views
- Family structure and parental support- failure to socialise properly is because of a
dysfunctional family structure. Moynihan (lone-mother struggles financially so
inadequate care, fathers absence leaves boy no male role model), Murray (lone
parenthood and lack of positive male role models is reason for underachievement),
Pryce (Asian pupils are more used to Racism and have a high self-worth, black
Caribbean’s are less cohesive and less resistant to Racism, says colonial rule
destroyed the black Caribbean’s language, religion and family system ability)
- Black boys= underachieve because of the lack of a father figure, lack of ‘tough love’
- Asian families= take school behavioural policies back home e.g. respect towards
adults, kids are more used to discipline
- White-working class= street culture can make a child have to withstand intimidation
and intimidate others, brings disruption to school (hard to succeed)
Ethnicity and Achievement: External factors- Material deprivation
- Housing
- Diet and health
- Income
- Harder and effects ethnic minorities more because of culture, discrimination and
language
Ethnicity and Achievement: Racism (like a factor on its own)
- 1) Discrimination in wider society 2) restricted pay for some races 3) More Asian and
Black families on the Breadline, unable to afford essentials 4) the children those
families have an unhealthy diet, restricted diet and lack of income 5) students
underachieve at school
Ethnicity and achievement: internal factors- Labelling and Pupil identity
- Gilborn and Youdell (2000)- teachers are more likely to discipline a black child due to
racialised expectations, expectation that black pupils are more likely to be
disrespectful to a white teacher, black boys are therefore more likely to be expelled
or suspended
- Cecile Wright- Asian students are victims of minority disadvantage within education
just like black students but in a different way
- The ideal pupil identity- white, middle class masculine heterosexual pupil. Achieve
through natural ability and initiative
Ethnicity and Achievement
Ethnicity and Achievement: External factors- cultural deprivation
- Intellectual skills + Linguistic skills- lack of intellectual stimulation and enriching
experiences, those who don’t speak the language school uses will see language as a
barrier
- Attitudes and values- lack of motivation in black and ethnic minority children, they
have fatalistic views
- Family structure and parental support- failure to socialise properly is because of a
dysfunctional family structure. Moynihan (lone-mother struggles financially so
inadequate care, fathers absence leaves boy no male role model), Murray (lone
parenthood and lack of positive male role models is reason for underachievement),
Pryce (Asian pupils are more used to Racism and have a high self-worth, black
Caribbean’s are less cohesive and less resistant to Racism, says colonial rule
destroyed the black Caribbean’s language, religion and family system ability)
- Black boys= underachieve because of the lack of a father figure, lack of ‘tough love’
- Asian families= take school behavioural policies back home e.g. respect towards
adults, kids are more used to discipline
- White-working class= street culture can make a child have to withstand intimidation
and intimidate others, brings disruption to school (hard to succeed)
Ethnicity and Achievement: External factors- Material deprivation
- Housing
- Diet and health
- Income
- Harder and effects ethnic minorities more because of culture, discrimination and
language
Ethnicity and Achievement: Racism (like a factor on its own)
- 1) Discrimination in wider society 2) restricted pay for some races 3) More Asian and
Black families on the Breadline, unable to afford essentials 4) the children those
families have an unhealthy diet, restricted diet and lack of income 5) students
underachieve at school
Ethnicity and achievement: internal factors- Labelling and Pupil identity
- Gilborn and Youdell (2000)- teachers are more likely to discipline a black child due to
racialised expectations, expectation that black pupils are more likely to be
disrespectful to a white teacher, black boys are therefore more likely to be expelled
or suspended
- Cecile Wright- Asian students are victims of minority disadvantage within education
just like black students but in a different way
- The ideal pupil identity- white, middle class masculine heterosexual pupil. Achieve
through natural ability and initiative
