Gender Differences in Achievement - Internal Factors

INTERNAL FACTORS

REASONS FOR IMPROVED FEMALE ACHIEVEMENT

Equal opportunities policies - feminist ideas have created equal opportunities in education e.g. GIST (Girls Into Science & Technology) & WISE (Women Into Science & Engineering) have encouraged girls to study ‘male’ subjects, and the National Curriculum means both sexes learn the same core subjects.

• AO3 - this has removed barriers to female achievement.

• Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum - WEINER argues since the 80s teachers, textbooks, etc. have challenged gender stereotypes e.g. having pictures of female scientists in textbooks.

•  AO3 - this helps girls achieve more by giving them positive images of what women can do.

• GCSE & coursework - GORARD argues that since coursework was introduced in 1989, the gender gap has increased as girls are better at it than boys (more organised, better at meeting deadlines, etc.) This is due to gender role socialisation-girls are ‘taught’ to be neater, etc.

• AO3 - However, girls do better than boys in subjects with no coursework, suggesting there are other reasons they achieve more.

GENDER & CLASS IDENTITIES

WC girls underachieve compared to middle class girls. 1 reason may be due to their habitus - some WC girls have hyper-heterosexual feminine identities - they are ‘loud’, & wear jewellery & clothes which get them in trouble in school - causing underachievement. They either gain symbolic capital (respect) from friends by acting in this way, or educational capital by rejecting WC identities.

• AO3 - This could be supported by labelling theory as working class girls are less likely to be seen as ‘ideal’ pupils, causing underachievement.

• WC girls who achieve & go to university often stay at home as caring is a part of their identities they want to stay close to family members &/or save money.

• AO3 - WC girls ‘self-exclude’ from top universities- they don’t apply as they think they won’t ‘fit in.’

TWO VIEWS OF FEMALE ACHIEVEMENT

Liberal feminists say female achievement will keep improving due to more equal opportunities policies, overcoming sexist attitudes, etc.

• Radical feminists say education is…