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Ethnicity and education How cultural background can act as a barrier How prejudice and discrimination limit opportunity 7/20/2015 Andy Walker Learning Online 1 The Swann Report Swann Report in 1985 reported the following facts: West Indian children do worse than many other ethnic group in education (only 5% passed an A level and 1% went to University). Asian children in general do as well as white children (except in English language). Children of Bangladeshi origin do worse than any other minority group (including West Indian children). It is wrong to generalise and say all children of ethnic minority origin do badly at school as there are considerable variations across gender and class. 7/20/2015 Andy Walker Learning Online 2 Reasons for relatively poor performance of ethnic minority children Low IQ – e.g. Eysenck has suggested that West Indian children have a lower IQ than others. The Swann report could find no evidence of this. Material deprivation – the majority of ethnic minority groups are working class and their children experience the same material disadvantage of other working class children. Hidden curriculum – culturally and linguistically biased against ethnic minority groups. Labelling – teachers tend to stereotype ethnic minority students and attach negative labels which become self fulfilling prophecies. Racism – racism in wider society diminishes self esteem. The school can be seen as representative of the Dominant culture and is therefore rejected. 7/20/2015 Andy Walker Learning Online 3 Reasons for better performance of Asian children over West Indian children Many Asian families have been seen as being more supportive and having higher aspirations for their children. Pryce has characterised West Indian families as “turbulent” and less close knit. Asian families are statistically more likely to be of middle class income and culture. 7/20/2015 Andy Walker Learning Online 4 Discrimination in education can be reduced by: Better training of teachers in multiculturalism, tolerance and the avoidance of negative stereotyping. Effective Equal opportunities and anti racism policies in schools. An audit of teaching materials to remove all cultural bias and racism. More teachers recruited from ethnic minority backgrounds – positive role models. Positive discrimination/compensatory education – more resources to be allocated where they are most needed. 7/20/2015 Andy Walker Learning Online 5