Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Ethnicity (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Flashcards

The success of Bangladeshi pupils in Tower Hamlets may be explained by schools employing Bangladeshi teachers, who understand pupils' language and culture, as researchers suggest this helped pupils engage more confidently in learning.

Strand found that Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian parents were more likely than White British parents to have high educational aspirations for their children and to be involved in their education.

British Chinese children often develop strong educational aspirations out of respect for their elders.

High parental involvement and aspirations may explain why Chinese pupils on free school meals outperform other ethnic groups on free school meals.

Cultural capital is the knowledge, language and confidence to interact effectively with schools.

True.

Students from ethnic minority backgrounds may therefore face disadvantage when their own cultural values differ from those the school promotes.

Parents with cultural capital can help with homework more effectively, navigate the education system with confidence and communicate assertively with teachers.

False.

Bangladeshi pupils now perform above the national average and Indian pupils achieve very high results, so language alone cannot explain the differences.

Tony Sewell identified peer pressure and the lack of a positive male role model at home as significant influences.

Some African-Caribbean boys seek alternative role models in street subcultures that emphasise aggressive and macho forms of masculinity.

False.

Sewell found that not all African-Caribbean boys conformed; some were high achievers who resisted peer pressure.

Connolly found that racialised stereotypes already shaped boys' behaviour and self-image at primary school, as White teachers sometimes treated Black boys as more threatening or aggressive.

Sociologists favour a multifactorial explanation because cultural factors interact with economic inequality and institutional racism, so no single factor can explain ethnic differences in achievement.

False.

Minority ethnic pupils in high-performing schools tend to achieve as well as, or better than, White pupils there, so school context plays a crucial role.

Teaching quality, the resources available and equal opportunities policies can all affect achievement.

Teachers often see Chinese and Indian pupils positively, as hard-working and capable.

Teachers often label Black Caribbean students, particularly boys, as disruptive or aggressive.

Teachers' low expectations can mean pupils receive less encouragement or academic challenge, and interactionists argue they may internalise the label and underachieve as a result.

The Timpson Review found that Black Caribbean pupils were around 1.7 times more likely to be permanently excluded than White British pupils.

Institutional racism occurs when an organisation's rules or routines disadvantage people based on race or culture, even without deliberate intent.

Uniform or appearance rules can clash with cultural or religious practices, such as hairstyles and head coverings.

Banding and streaming systems can place minority ethnic pupils in lower sets than White pupils of similar ability.

An ethnocentric curriculum is biased towards White, European culture and history and ignores or undervalues the contributions of non-European cultures.

History lessons may glorify the British Empire and ignore colonialism and the histories of Black and Asian people.

False.

An ethnocentric curriculum can make minority ethnic pupils feel alienated, undervalued or invisible, which leads to low self-esteem and reduced engagement.

Institutional racism is hard to measure because, although exclusion rates and setting patterns point to bias, intentional discrimination is difficult to prove, and class and behaviour differences also play a role.

False.

Some labelled pupils reject teachers' low expectations and work harder to prove them wrong, which shows individual agency.