Ethnicity and educational achievement Cambridge IGCSE Sociology revision
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In plain words
Results differ between ethnic groups in the same country, sometimes widely. The pattern is never as simple as majority up and minorities down. In several countries some minority groups get the best results of all, and that is what makes the explanations interesting.
9 things to know
- The pattern: average achievement differs between ethnic groups within a society. Some minority ethnic groups achieve above the average and some below it. The pattern varies from country to country, and it overlaps with class and gender.
- Institutional racism is discrimination that is built into the everyday rules and practices of an organisation. In a school it can show in who gets excluded and who is placed in lower sets.
- An ethnocentric curriculum is one that centres on the culture and history of the majority group and gives little place to others. Pupils from minority groups may feel that school is not about them.
- Role models: where few teachers and headteachers come from minority ethnic groups, pupils from those groups see fewer people like themselves succeeding.
- Linguistic factors: pupils whose home language is not the language of the school can be held back at first, though many catch up or overtake.
- Cultural, material and social factors: families and communities differ in what they expect of children at school. In many societies minority ethnic groups are also more likely to be poor, because of discrimination in jobs, so part of the gap is explained by class.
- Home and community factors: support from the family, and from the wider community, can raise achievement even where incomes are low.
- In-school factors: teachers may hold stereotypes about ethnic groups, expecting bad behaviour from some and success from others. Pupils respond by forming pro-school or anti-school sub-cultures, including ethnic sub-cultures.
- Labelling theory: a negative label can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It need not. Some pupils reject the label and work harder to prove it wrong.
Worked example
History lessons in a school cover only the kings and wars of the majority group. Explain how this could affect pupils from a minority ethnic group.
- The curriculum is ethnocentric: it treats one group's history as the history that matters.
- Minority pupils do not see their own heritage valued.
- They may feel shut out, lose interest and achieve less.
- A curriculum that included the histories of all the groups in the school would be one answer.
Tips and tricks
- Never write as if all minority ethnic groups underachieve. The evidence shows otherwise, and the question is why groups differ.
- Bring in class. Part of what looks like an ethnic gap is a gap in income, and saying so is evaluation.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Ethnicity and educational achievement: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What is institutional racism?
It can exist without anyone intending it.
What is an ethnocentric curriculum?
Other cultures are left out or undervalued.
Why may part of the ethnic gap in achievement be explained by class?
Material factors affect all poor families.
Which is an in-school factor?
It operates inside the school.
Some minority ethnic groups achieve above the national average. What does this suggest?Stretch
Different groups have different experiences and resources.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 10 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Ethnicity and educational achievement
Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 · 10 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
What is meant by an "ethnocentric curriculum"?[2]
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A curriculum that focuses on the culture and history of the majority ethnic group and ignores or undervalues others.
Explain how institutional racism in schools can affect achievement.[4]
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Institutional racism is discrimination built into the normal practices of an organisation. In schools, pupils from some ethnic groups may be more likely to be excluded or placed in lower sets. They lose teaching time and are entered for lower-level exams, so they achieve less.
Explain why labelling does not always lead to underachievement.[4]
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A negative label can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if the pupil accepts it. Some pupils reject the label. They are determined to prove the teacher wrong, so they work harder and succeed, which shows that pupils are not passive.
Answers: Ethnicity and educational achievement
- 1. A curriculum that focuses on the culture and history of the majority ethnic group and ignores or undervalues others.
- 2. Institutional racism is discrimination built into the normal practices of an organisation. In schools, pupils from some ethnic groups may be more likely to be excluded or placed in lower sets. They lose teaching time and are entered for lower-level exams, so they achieve less.
- 3. A negative label can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if the pupil accepts it. Some pupils reject the label. They are determined to prove the teacher wrong, so they work harder and succeed, which shows that pupils are not passive.