ethnic differences in achievement

• what are factors of cultural deprivation?

  language skills, attitudes, parental support, fathers/gangs
• language skills

  • children from low income black families lack intellectual stimulation which leaves them poorly equipped for school - haven’t developed reasoning & problem-solving skills

  • speak in restricted code

  • students with english as a second language may struggle with the elaborated code

  • may struggle with pace of the class as they are interpreting another language visually, verbally & written
• evaluation of language skills

  modern day technology allows schools to be able to support students with english as a second language

  introduction of phonics & vocabulary in schools allows for these students to develop the correct vocabulary
• attitudes and values 


  some black children are socialised into a subculture that instils a fatalistic attitude which does not value education & leaves them unequipped for success
• evaluation of attitudes & values

  criticising evidence that white working class males are the lowest achieving ethnic group therefore other factors rather than attitudes and values must be assessed
• parental support 


  • black families fail to socialise children adequately as a result of a dysfunctional family structure

  • many black families headed by lone mothers - unable to provide adequate care due to financial struggles

  • fathers absence means boys lack adequate role model of male achievement
• fathers/gangs


  • young fatherless black boys lack the ’tough love‘ of a father

  • causes them to turn to gangs made up of other fatherless boys

  • become more focussed on deviancy & achieving status in the gang rather than focussing on their studies
• criticisms of cultural deprivation


  ignored schools ethnocentric biases - keddie argues that cultural deprivation is just victim blaming as they are culturally different and not necessarily deprived
• material deprivation


  ethnic minorities more likely to face issues with housing and income

  • almost 1/2 of all ethnic minority children live in low-income households compared to 1/4 of white children

  • almost twice as likely to be unemployed

  • three times as likely to be homeless
• racism in wider society

  racial discrimination leads to social exclusion which worsens poverty

  • discrimination means ethnic minorities more likely to be forced into substandard accommodation than white people

  • more likely to face unemployment and low pay due to discrimination in employment
• what are internal factors affecting achievement

  labelling & teacher racism, pupil identities, subcultures, institutional racism
• labelling & teacher racism

  teachers often give negative labels to ethnic minority pupils

  e.g black pupils often seen as disruptive, asian pupils often seen as passive

  • expected black pupils to present more discipline problems & misinterpreted their behaviours as threatening or challenging to authority

  • more likely to be placed in low streams
• pupil identities


  teachers construct three types of pupil identities & treat ethnic minority pupils differently
• what are the three types of pupil identities

  ideal pupil, pathologised pupil & demonised pupil
• ideal pupil identity


  white middle class, masculine identity, achievement through natural ability & initiative
• pathologised pupil identity 


  asian, conformist, likely to achieve through hard work only
• demonised pupil identity


  black or white working class, unintelligent, culturally deprived, underachiever
• pupil subcultures


  may respond to racism and labelling by becoming disruptive or withdrawn

  • or may refuse to accept the label and proving it wrong

  e.g fuller studied black girls in Y11, london comprehensive school, allocated in low streams but were high achievers regardless, did not accept their negative label & succeeded
• mirza - types of teacher racism 


  • colour blind - believe all pupils are equal but in practice allow racism to go unchallenged

  • liberal chauvinists - believe black pupils are culturally deprived and have low expectations of them

  • overt racists - believe black pupils are inferior & actively discriminate against them
• sewell - 4 types of boys responses to racism


  • rebels - often excluded, part of anti-school subcultures

  • conformists - keen to succeed, pro-school, friends from different ethnic groups, anxious to be stereotyped

  • retreatists - disconnected from both school & black subculture, despised by the rebels

  • innovators - pro-education but anti-school, value success but not seeking approval from teachers
• institutional racism


  ethnocentric curriculum - curriculum reflects white culture & regrets others - national curriculum ignores ethnic diversity - ignores other cultures literature & music

  marketisation - school selection - allows schools to select pupils meaning negative stereotypes can affect admission decisions of black pupils