1⃣.4⃣ Class Differences In Achievement) School Factors And Achievement

Question 0

Explain how labelling between teachers and pupils caused under achievement

Answer 0

⚫labels are meanings or definitions
➡️we attach to someone or something
➡️to make sense of them
➡️e.g. Middle class children labelled as bright motivated etc

⚫Becker argues
➡️teachers label middle class children as ideal pupils
➡️prefer to teach them
➡️rather than working class children

Question 1

Name the four interactions between teachers and pupils, that is related to the causes of under achievement

Answer 1

⚫️labelling

⚫️the self fulfilling prophecy

⚫️streaming

⚫️pupil subcultures

Question 2

Explain how the self fulfilling prophecy between teachers and pupils caused under achievement

Answer 2

⚫️prophecy is a prediction made about someone or something
➡️e.g. Hes stupid- he’s bound to fail

⚫️key features of a self fulfilling prophecy
➡️comes true
➡️because it has been made
➡️e.g. He goes on to fail all his exams

⚫️teachers can create self fulfilling prophecy
➡️through labels they attach to pupils
➡️studies of labelling show
➡️’ what teachers believe, pupils achieve’

⚫️teachers believe
➡️middle class children as bright
➡️working class pupils likely to be labelled negatively
➡️thus fail

Question 3

Give an evaluation of the self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 3

⚫️labelling theory is too deterministic

➡️not all pupils who are labeled as failures
➡fulfil the prophecy
➡️some reject label and succeed

➡️not all teachers label 
➡️working class pupils negatively

Question 4

Explain sociologist view on streaming

Answer 4

⚫️lacey
➡️described streaming as differentiation
➡️a way of separating sheep from the goats
➡️then educating them differently
➡️streaming creates self-fulfilling prophecy :

⚫️douglas found
➡️IQ of pupils labelled as 
➡️less able and placed in bottom stream
➡️fell over time
➡️pupil put in the top stream
➡️IQ increased 

⚫️thos placed in lower streams
➡️may be denied access to same curriculum
➡️e.g. Not being put in for higher level exams

Question 5

What does streaming mean

Answer 5

⚫️streaming is an extreme and institutionalised form of labelling

➡️works by putting all pupils of similar ability together
➡️into the same class
➡️or stream for all subjects

➡️bright people grouped together in top stream
➡️thick ones in the bottom

Question 6

What does pupils subcultures mean

Answer 6

⚫️a groups whose beliefs, values and attitudes

➡️differ to some extent from the culture of wider scoiety

Question 7

Name the two subcultures pupils may form their own, in response to labelling

Answer 7

⚫️pro-school subcultures

⚫️anti-school subcultures

Question 8

Explain pro school subcultures

Answer 8

⚫️formed by people in higher streams
➡️they accept the school values and goals for ➡️hard work, regular attendance, respect for teachers etc
➡️they enjoy school
➡️participate enthusiastically in its activities
➡️intend to continue in education

Question 9

Explain anti school subcultures

Answer 9

⚫️formed by those in lower stream
➡️reject the schools values
➡️and often invert them

➡️they dislike school
➡️flout its rules, disrespect teachers, avoid doing school work, sabotage their uniform etc

Question 10

Explain what is meant by status and subcultures i

Answer 10

⚫️larcey argues
➡️lower stream pupils 
➡️form or join anti-school subcultures
➡️because school deprives them of status
➡️by labelling them as failures

➡️so these pupils create their own status hierarchy:
➡️gain status from their peers
➡️by rejecting the schools values
➡️and breaking its rules

Question 11

How does pupils subcultures lead to self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 11

⚫️members of pro school subcultures
➡️work hard and are successful

⚫️members of anti school subcultures
➡️mess about and fail

Question 12

Give an evaluation of status and subcultures

Answer 12

⚫focussing on internal factors
➡️may mean we neglect the role of home background factors
➡️such as poverty and cultural deprivation

➡️an adequate amount of under achievement ➡️needs to take these into consideration too

Question 13

Explain what is meant by educational policies

Answer 13

⚫️what goes in school
➡️isnt just a product of what teachers decide to do

⚫️greatly influenced by government policies
➡️can have an important effect on class differences in achievement
➡️e.g. some sociologist argue that marketisation policies
➡️increased the amount of streaming in schools

⚫️policies on issues such as
➡️grants, fees, maintenance allowances, school leaving age etc
➡️have an impact on home background factors
➡️such as material or cultural deprivation