Ethnic Differences (external)

• Linguistic Skills

  • some pupils are EAL students and some speak an informal version of English
  • Bereiter and Engelmann state that the black Carribean language is ungrammatical and disjointed; they cannot convey abstract ideas
• Family Structure

  • there are higher rates of lone-parent families in black ethnicities
  • this leads to lower achievement of black boys due to no male role model
• Attitudes and Values

  • some sociologists argue that some black pupils have a fatalistic outlook on life
  • they want immediate gratification and have limited motivation to achieve in the long term
• Material Deprivation

  • many minorities are victims of racism in wider society
  • they face direct or indirect discrimination at work and may be in low paid jobs or unemployed
  • this impacts the children’s educational opportunities