Internal Factors

• INTERNAL FACTORS FOR GIRLS’

  EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS

  Some of the factors include:

  1.Equal opportunities policies2.More role models in schools3.Changing assessment4.Teacher attention and labelling5.Challenging stereotypes6.Selection and role models
• WISE (Women into Science & Engineering
• GIST (Girls into Science & Technology):
• These policies have encouraged females to enter subject areas that are traditionally dominated by males. This has opened up employment opportunities in ‘malestream’ careers.
• The Education Reform Act (The National Curriculum) 1988:


  The National Curriculum has created a situation where males & females study the same core subjects.  This has created a more meritocratic education system whereby males & females compete on equal terms
• They have also encouraged the use of ‘Gender-Neutral’ language & advice in relation to subject options, careers advice & resource development.
• Weiner (1995) Positive Role Model


  More & more women are taking up positions of high responsibility within the education system (in particularly Head Teacher roles)It is often suggested that Primary Schooling is a ‘Feminised’ system which may instil notions of ‘Gender Domain’ within young pupils from a very early age.Female pupils now have more positive role models WITHIN the education system (as well as externally too) which may help explain their educational
• Gordan

  The ‘Gender Gap’ in success rates increased dramatically in the academic year 1988/9. This coincides with the introduction of GCSEs  which brought with it more coursework based assessments.
• Mitsos & Browne (1998) support this view by suggesting that coursework suits girls because:

  Girls develop better speaking & listening skills – particularly useful for oral exams.Girls take more care in presentation. Girls are more organised
• Liberal Feminist


                                              see these ‘improvements’ as a positive step in breaking down gender inequality within the education system arguing that it shows that Meritocracy is a reality (Link to Functionalism).
• Radical Feminst


  are more critical. They still see the education system as Patriarchal & suggest the following:Sexual harassment of girls still continuesMale teachers are still more likely to be heads of secondary schools.
• > Jannette Elwood (2005) argues that exams are more important than coursework & therefore the argument that coursework has effected girls achievement is flawed.