Gender DifferencesIn educational attainment

In the 1960s and 1970s sociologists were concerned about the underachievement of girls.

By the 1990s this concern had switched to the boys.

In the past

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority found girls scored higher on all tests.

62% of girls could concentrate for 10 minutes

Only 49% of boys could 56% of girls could write/spell their name 42% of boys could

DfES (2007) 70% of children with special educational needs are boys

Starting school

Girls do better in all subjects

Although the gap is less in Maths and Science

Key stage 1-3

There is around a 10% difference between boys and girls achieving 5 GCSEs at grade A-C

GCSE

Girls are more likely to pass and get higher grades.

The gap is much narrower than at GCSE.

(2006) 95.8% of girls passed two or more Alevels and only 94% of boys did.

AS and Alevel

Both genders have improved every year

It’s just that girls have improved more

Not all boys underachieve (Coffrey, 2001)

Interpreting the data

Certain groups of boys are more likely to fail than others

Social class is a huge determining factor in this

(Epstein et al, 1998)

Class has over 5 times the effect of gender on attainment (Gilbourne and Mirza, 2000)

Interpreting the data

When the 11+ test was introduced in the 1940s more girls passed than boys

The results had to be ‘adjusted’

So girls doing better is not necessarily a new phenomena (Chitty, 2002)

Interpreting the data

Create a mind map of reasons for this ‘gender gap’

Factors affecting achievement

Factors affecting achievement can be split into two categories.

Factors affecting achievement

INTERNAL FACTORS EXTERNAL FACTORS

1. What is feminism?

2. Briefly describe two different strands of feminism

3. Outline how feminism may have helped girls achieve more at school

The impact of feminism

1. Feminism is a social movement concerned with equal rights for women in all areas of life.

The impact of feminism

Liberal feminism – seeks to create equality through changes to the law.

Marxist feminism – believes that inequality stems from the capitalist economic system.

Radical feminism – believes inequality stems from male power (Patriarchy) and only truly radical solutions will work

Difference feminism – notes the importance of individual experience (not all women experience the same difficulties)

The impact of feminism

Sue Sharpe ‘Just like a girl’ (1976 and 1994) Found that 1990s girls were More assertive More ambitious More confident

Main priorities of 70s girls were ‘love, marriage, and children’

The impact of feminism

Feminism has challenged the ‘traditional’ image of women as housewives and mothers only.

Feminism has challenged the gender binary

The impact of feminism

MasculineDominant

StrongLogical

AggressiveProtective

Sexually assertiveBlue

BreadwinnerSporty

Competitive

FeminineSubmissive

WeakEmotional

PassiveIn need of protection

Sexually passivePink

HomemakerCaring

Sensitive

Gender Binary

From the moment children are born, they are assigned a gender that will affect the ways people interact with them.

Children learn gendered norms and gender stereotypes

Primary Socialisation

Choice of toys

Primary socialisation

In the 60s and 70s women were often depicted in domestic roles.

The ladybird reading scheme was used in many schools.

How might the following images normalise gendered roles?

Representation

Representation

Representation

Angela McRobbie (1994)

Content analysis of girl’s magazines from the 70s and 90s

Jackie magazine emphasised the importance of getting married and not getting ‘left on the shelf’

Magazines

Angela McRobbie (1994)

Modern magazines have images of assertive, independent women.

Similarly TV programmes have more positive female role models.

Magazines

Girls Magazines

Boys Magazines

Perform your own content analysis on some modern magazines.

What images are they portraying to young women?

Magazines

Girl Power?Can you think of any girl power icons or

positive role models from the media?