1. Differential Educational Achievement by Gender Summary PowerPoint
Before 1980’s most of the research on gender looked at the underachievement of girls
Today the focus is on why girls out perform boys . There is something of a “moral panic” about the underachievement of boys
20/11/2018

2. Social Policy Aiding Females Boys Underachievement
Differential Educational Achievement Gender
3 Main Areas Of Explanation have been put forward
Changing Attitudes
Social Policy Aiding Females
Boys Underachievement
20/11/2018

3. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
Changing Societal Attitudes
Feminists point to a greater emphasis on equal opportunities in schools
Teachers and their resources have become less stereotyped
Initiatives like GIST (Girls Into Science)
Teacher training has improved
More jobs for women in tertiary sector
20/11/2018

4. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
Sue Sharpe 1976 & 1994
Studied girls’ attitudes in a school in London in 1976
Found that they wanted marriage, children and jobs in that order
By 1994 girls in the same school now put career as their top priority
20/11/2018

5. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
Social Policy
The expansion of Coursework over competitive exams arguably helps females who are better organised and motivated.
The National Curriculum means that girls can’t avoid science and technology. They now have an equal educational entitlement.
Ofsted monitor the National Curriculum and teaching standards
20/11/2018

6. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
Boys Are Falling Behind
The Job market
Mac an Ghaill 1994 – “crisis of masculinity”
Identifies the decline of many male working class jobs in heavy industry.
This all curbs WC boys ambition and they may see education as a waste of time and seek status elsewhere anti school subcultures
20/11/2018

7. Reading is regarded as unmasculine
Differential Educational Achievement Gender Has education been feminised?
Reading is regarded as unmasculine
Teachers have lower expectations of boys and let them get away with more
There is a gender imbalance in the teaching profession – few positive role models for boys especially in primaries
20/11/2018

8. Differential Educational Achievement 2.Gender
Subject Choice
The National Curriculum has limited the different subject choices, but marked gender preferences have remained
If my lad wants to do needlework then he will do needlework!
20/11/2018

9. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
A Level
Males outnumber females in all science and technical subjects apart from biology
Females outnumber males in all other subjects
English, Modern Languages and Social Sciences have a particularly high proportion of females
20/11/2018

10. Differential Educational Achievement Gender
Alison Kelly 1987
Gives 2 reasons for science being seen as masculine
The subject is packaged for boys – texts and teachers use examples from ‘boys worlds’ e.g. football, cars etc
Boys dominate the classroom, equipment and teacher’s attention
20/11/2018