1. External explanations: social class differences in education Flashcards
What are the external explanations for social class differences in achievement?
- Material deprivation
- Cultural deprivation
- Cultural capital
What is material deprivation?
- The view that a lack of financial resources in working class homes, results in children being deprived of material resources and facilities which would enhance educational progress and achievement
- economic poverty as a barrier to learning
What are some examples of material deprivation?
- Cannot afford books/revision guides/wifi/ laptops In
- limited access to better schools (transport)
- lack of balanced/nutritional diet, impact health / concentration and reduce attendance
- lack of heating so cold and damp, mould effect health
- overcrowded home, no place to study
- cost of uniform upkeep/washing may impact attendance
Statistics linking poverty to educational achievement?
- Nearly 90% of failing schools are in disadvantaged areas
- financial problems in a family is a significant factor in school absence
- truancy and exclusion more likely in poorer families
How does MD impact 1.Housing?
- Overcrowding can make it harder to study and disturb sleep from sharing bedrooms
- can impact young children’s development with a lack of safe space for play
- cold or damp housing may result in ill health
- temporary accommodation may lead to more psychological distress and accidents with disrupted schooling as constantly moving
How does MD impact 2. Diet and health?
(Howard) - young people from poorer homes have a lower intake of energy, vitamins and minerals
- poor nutrition will weaken the immune system leading to difficulty concentrating in class and more absences along with emotional or behavioural issues
(Wilkinson) - among 10 year olds, the lower the social class, the higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders
(Blanden and machin) - children from low income backgrounds more likely to engage in externalising behaviour (fighting and temper tantrums)
How does MD impact 3. Finances?
- Children from poorer families would have to go without equipment and miss out on experiences (bull) calls this “the costs of free schooling”
- (Tanner et al) cost of items like transport, books, uniform, calculators places a heavy burden on poor families
- (smith and noble) poverty as a barrier with tuition and poorer quality schools
- (ridge) more likely to take on jobs that may negatively impact school work, may deter uni prospects
- dropout rates higher for universities with a large proportion of poor students
Critique of material deprivation theory?
- Some children from poor families still succeed, suggest MD is only part of the situation
- programmes of compensatory education, aiming to overcome the early disadvantages
Examples: sure start, education action zones (additional funding and resources in disadvantaged areas ), educational maintenance allowance (including pupil premium)
What is cultural deprivation?
- The view that working class socialisation patterns do not install values which encourage children to value school and be ambitions
- this culture is viewed as inadequate by failing to nurture and stimulate educational interest
- therefore WC children lack the ‘cultural equipment’ for success.
Examples of cultural deprivation?
- Book poor opposed to gook rich home
- limited vocabulary
- lack of cultural experiences e.g. Galleries, museums, travel,
- lack of parental interest and support
- holidays
How does CD impact 1. Intellectual development?
- Referring to thinking and reasoning skills, arguing many WC homes lack books, educational bus and activities that would stimulate intellectual development
- so wc children start school without developing the intellectual skills required to progress
-social variations in childrearing practices, with middle class socialisation laying a better foundation for high achievement → an advantage as school and the mc home positively reinforce each other - (Bernstein and young) MC mothers more likely to choose toys encouraging thinking and reasoning skills
How does CD impact 2. Attitudes and values?
- (Douglas) argued the single most important factor in educational progress is the degree of parental interest shown
- generally MC parents take a greater interest which motivates children to do well, more likely to attend parents evenings and support with homework
- (Hyman) wc values as a self imposed barrier no educational and career success, less value on high status jobs so see no point in education
- evaluation:
Some may not be able to attend parents evening due to transport, childcare, work (cannot afford)
Some may be uncomfortable in school environment
How do WC and MC values contrast?
- (Sugarman) wc subculture acting as a barrier to educational achievement
WC: present time orientation, immediate gratification, fatalism, collectivism
MC: future time orientation, referred gratification, activism, individualism _ - internalised cultures through socialisation, making wc clash with the school ethos which is an extension of mc values
How does CD impact 3. Language?
- (Bereiter and englemann) claim language used in lower class homes is deficient s children fail is develop the necessary language skills required at school
- this appears their capacity to be educated and articulate understanding
- (Bernstein) round social class position shapes the sort of language used → so 2 speech codes:
The restricted and elaborated code
What is the restricted language code?
-working class
- context bound: speaker assumes listeners share their meanings and experiences
- convey particularistic meanings
- implicit code (unclear meanings), speaker takes for granted audience will grasp meanings.
- short, unfinished and grammatically simple sentences
