Class and achievement

Question 1

Material deprivation (external factor)

Answer 1

-Means lacking access to essential items and activities.

-In this case, it can cause a decrease in educational achievement compared to those of other social class

Question 2

Housing (MD)

Answer 2

-Overcrowding can cause difficulty when students are trying to do homework or revise at home

-Constant moving to new locations can impact a student’s health so they may have more time off school

-Around 45% of school age children have arrived at school tired, late or hungry as a result of living in temporary accommodation

Question 3

Diet and Health (MD)

Answer 3

-Poor nutrition can influence the hormones controlling mood and ability to concentrate

-Howard: Found young people in poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, Vitamins and minerals

-Wilkinson: Found among 10 year olds, the lower there social class, the higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders- can effect concentration levels and therefore their child’s education

Question 4

Financial support and the Cost of Education (MD)

Answer 4

-Tanner et al: Found the cost of items such as transport, books, computers, calculators, and sports equipment places a heavy burden on poor families

-Flaherty: The fear of stigmatisation may explain why 20% of those eligible for free school meals (FMS) do not take up the opportunity

-Ridge: Found that children in poverty take on jobs such as babysitting and paper rounds- often had a negative impact on their schoolwork- less time to complete homework/revise

Question 5

Fear of Debt (MD)

Answer 5

-Callender and Jackson: Found that working-class (W/C) students are more debt averse- seeing debt as something to be avoided and would rather not go to university

-Reay: Found that W/C students were more likely to apply to local universities so they could live at home and save on travel costs

-Only 30% of university students came from working-class families, despite the fact this group makes up 50% of the total population

Question 6

Cultural deprivation (external factor)

Answer 6

-Lacking the appropriate values, attitudes language and knowledge for success

-WISE:
-Working class subcultures
-Parental interest in education
-Speech patterns
-Parental education and attitude

Question 7

Working class subculture (CD)

Answer 7

-Hyman: Argues W/C place less value on education and achieving a good job- they think there is less chance they will have an opportunity for advancement and less motivation

-Sugarman:
-Fatalism= accepting a situation rather than trying to improve it
-Immediate gratification= wants instant rewards (e.g, leave school early to get a job)
-Collectivism= group loyalty rather than individual achievement (less likely to focus on personal success)

-These attitudes are not supported or rewarded by the education system which can therefore cause underachievement

Question 8

Parental interest in education (CD)

Answer 8

-Douglas: related educational attainment to health, size of family and quality of school and parent’s interest in their children’s education
-M/C parents were the most interested- meant that parental interest would help to encourage their children to obtain high attainment

-Arguments against W/C parents not necessarily being uninterested in their child’s education:
1. W/C parents may have less time to attend school because of the demands of their jobs
2) W/C parents may be put off going to the school because of the way teachers interact with them- Blackstone and Mortimore

Question 9

Speech patterns (CD)

Answer 9

-Bernstein: suggested that class differences in speech patterns are related to educational attainment
-Restricted code: Used by W/C and M/C (mainly W/C), limited vocab
-Elaborated code: Used by M/C only according to Bernstein, extensive vocab

-Believed education in schools is conducted in terms of an elaborated code which why W/C students may fall behind

-Evaluation:
1. Provides little evidence of the existence and use of restricted and elaborated codes
2. Much of his evidence is drawn from interviews with children- gender, age and ethnicity of interviewer can affect the results

Question 10

Parental education and attitude (CD)

Answer 10

-Evans: Believes it’s not the class differences in attainment but class differences in socialisation

-M/C mothers, particularly those who are highly educated, incorporate formal-learning-type skills
-These skills include counting, colour and shape recognition

-W/C mothers= formal learning is seen as what happens at school
-As a result, W/C children are less prepared for school