Boys and Achievement

• Boys and Literacy

  DCSF (2007) the gender gap is mainly the result of boys' poorer literacy and language skills. Parents spend less time reading to their sons. Reading is seen as a feminine activitity
• Boys' leisure pursuits such as football, do little to develop their language and communication skills. Poor language and literacy are likely to affect boys' performance across a wide range of subjects. The government have introduced a range of policies to improve boys' skills.
• Globalization and the decline of traditional men's jobs

  Since the 1980s, there has been a significant decline in heavy industries such as iron and steel, shipbuilding, mining, and engineering. This is the result of manufacturing industries relocating to developing countries such as China, taking advantage of cheap labor.
• Mitsos and Browne - Globalization and the decline of traditional men's jobs

  Claim that this decline in male employment opportunities has led to an 'identity crisis for men'. Many boys now believe they have little prospect of getting a proper job. This undermines their motivation and self-esteem, so they give up trying to obtain qualifications.
• Globalisation and the decline of traditional men’s jobs

  The decline has largely been in manual WC jobs that require few/ no qualifications.
• Feminisation and education

  Tony Sewell is reported as claiming that boys fall behind because education has become 'feminized'. (BBC, 2006) schools do not nurture 'masculine' traits such as competitiveness and leadership. Instead, they celebrate qualities more closely associated with girls, such as methodical working and attentiveness.
• Sewell

  Sees coursework as a major cause of gender differences in achievement. He argues that some coursework should be replaced with final exams and a greater emphasis on outdoor adventure in the curriculum.
• Shortage of male primary school teachers

  The lack of male role models both at home and school is said to be a cause of boys' underachievement. Large numbers of boys are being brought up to 1.5 million female-headed lone parent families in the UK
• Yougov (2007): Shortage of male primary school teachers

  39% of 8-11-year-old boys have no lessons whatsoever with a male teacher. Yet most boys surveyed said the presence of a male teacher made them behave better and 42% said it would make them work harder.
• Shortage of male primary school teachers:

  The culture of primary school has become feminised as the increase of being staffed by female teachers, unable to control boys’ behaviour. Male teachers are better able at imposing strict discipline boys need to concentrate. Suggesting that primary schools need more male teachers.
• Are more male teachers really needed?

  Research suggests that the absence of male teachers may not be a major factor in boys’ underachievement,
• Becky Francis (2006): Are more male teachers really needed?

  Discovered that two-thirds of 7-8-year-olds believed the gender of the teacher doesn't matter.
• Barbara Read (2008)

  Types of language teachers use to express criticism or disapproval of pupils' work and behaviour. She identifies two types of language or 'discourse':

  • A disciplinarian discourse: The teachers' authority is made explicit and visible, for instance, through shouting an 'exasperated' tone of voice or sarcasm.
  • A liberal discourse: The teacher's authority is implicit and invisible. This child-centred discourse involves ‘pseudo-adulcification’: the teacher speaks to the pupil as if they were an adult, expecting them to be kind, sensible and respectful to the teacher.
• Are more male teachers needed?

  The disciplinarian discourse is usually associated with masculinity and the liberal discourse with femininity. Conclusion from her studies:

  1. Most teachers, and female, are just as likely to use males 'masculine' discourse to control pupils behaviour. Disagreeing that male teachers are the only ones to use this language, controlling boys.
• Are more male teachers needed?

  Malcolm Haase (2008)

  Although women make up most primary teachers, it is better to think of primary schools as a male-dominated or 'masculinised educational structure that is numerically dominated by women'.
• Are more male teachers needed?

  Jones (2006)

  Notes that male teachers in the UK have a one in four chance of gaining a headship: women in one in 13.
• 'Laddish' subcultures

  Some sociologists argue that the growth of ‘laddish’ subcultures has contributed to boys’ underachievement
• Debbie Epstein (1998): 'Laddish' subcultures

  Examined the way masculinity is constructed within the school. She discovered that WC boys are likely to be harassed, labelled as sissies and subjected to homophobic verbal abuse.
• Francis (2001): 'Laddish' subcultures

  Boys were more concerned than girls about being labelled by peers as swots, as this label is more of a threat to their masculinity than it is to girls' femininity.
• 'Laddish' subcultures:

  In WC culture, masculinity is equated with being tough and doing manual work. Non-manual work, and by extension schoolwork, is seen as effeminate and inferior, as a result, WC boys tend to reject schoolwork to avoid being named ‘gay’.
• 'Laddish' subcultures

  Epstein observes, 'real boys don't work' - and if they do they get bullied.
• Francis (2001): 'Laddish' subcultures

  Laddish culture is becoming increasingly widespread. She argues that this is because, as girls move into traditional masculine areas such as careers, boys respond by "becoming increasingly laddish in their effort to construct themselves as non-feminine”.
• The moral panic about boys

  Critics of feminism argue that policies to promote girls’ education are not needed. Critics speak of ‘girl power’, of girls today ‘having it all’ and of women taking men’s jobs. They believe girls have succeeded at the expense of boys, who are the new disadvantaged.
• Jessica Ringrose (2013): The moral panic abouts boys

  The moral panic reflects a fear that underachieving WC boys will grow up to become a dangerous unemployable underclass that threatens social stability.
• Jessica Ringrose (2013): The moral panic abouts boys

  The moral panic has caused a major shift in educational policy, which is now preoccupied with raising boys' achievements. Leading to two negative effects:

  1.   Narrowing equal opportunities policy to simply ‘failing boys’, ignoring the issue of disadvantaged WC and minority ethnic pupils.

  2.   Narrowing gender policy down solely to the issue of achievement gaps, ignoring other issues faced by girls in school. Including sexual harassment, bullying, self-esteem and identity issues, stereotyped subject choices.
• Audrey Osler (2006): The moral panic about boys

  Notes the focus on underachieving boys leads to a neglect of girls. Partly as girls often disengage from school quietly. Contrasting to boys’ disengagement often taking the form of public displays of ‘laddish’ masculinity that attract attention from teachers and policymakers.
• Osler (2006): The moral panic about boys

  Provides the example of mentoring schemes aimed at reducing school exclusion among black boys. Pointing out that they ignore the issue of exclusions among girls - increasingly rapidly.

  Girls who are excluded are less likely to obtain places in pupil referral units. Official exclusion rates also mask a wider, hidden problem of exclusion among girls, including self-exclusion and internal exclusion.