Discuss how far sociologists would agree that ethnic differences in educational achievement are mainly due to factors inside schools.
How to approach this question
Structure your answer as a debate.
1. **Introduction:** Introduce the debate between internal (inside school) and external (outside school) factors as explanations for ethnic differences in achievement.
2. **Arguments FOR internal factors:** Explain at least two inside-school factors. Use concepts like teacher labelling (Gillborn and Youdell), the ethnocentric curriculum, and institutional racism.
3. **Arguments FOR external factors:** Explain at least two outside-school factors. Discuss cultural deprivation (e.g., language, parental attitudes) and material deprivation (e.g., poverty, housing).
4. **Conclusion:** Summarise the arguments and come to a justified conclusion on 'how far' sociologists would agree. A good conclusion will argue that both internal and external factors are important and that they often interact with each other.
Full Answer
This question addresses the debate over explanations for differential educational achievement by ethnicity. Internal factors are processes within the school itself, often highlighted by interactionist sociologists, such as teacher-pupil relationships, labelling, subcultures, and the curriculum. External factors are influences from outside the school, such as social class, material deprivation, parental attitudes, and language. Sociologists like Sewell have focused on cultural factors outside school, while others like Gillborn focus on institutional racism within the education system. A balanced sociological analysis recognises that both sets of factors are interconnected and contribute to the complex patterns of achievement.
Common mistakes
A common mistake is to only discuss one set of factors (e.g., only internal factors) without considering the other side of the debate. Another is to describe the factors without linking them clearly to the educational achievement of specific ethnic groups.
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