Class Differences In Acheivement (external Factors)

Question 1

Language

Answer 1

Hubbs-Tait et al found educated parents more likely to use language that challenges children to evaluate own understating e.g., what do you think? This increases cognitive performance but less educated parents more likely to use simple language, so children use simple sentences.

Question 2

Speech codes

Answer 2

Bernstein distinguishes between elaborated code (mainly used by mc, involves wider vocab, grammatically correct sentences and used in school) and restricted code (the opposite)

Question 3

Parents education

Answer 3

Douglas found wc parents placed less value on education, less ambitious for their children who were less encouraged. Feinstein says parents’ education is most important factor affecting children’s achievement

Question 4

Parenting style

Answer 4

Less educated use harsh discipline leading to poor motivation in school, more educated use consistent discipline and have high expectations of their children

Question 5

Parents educational behaviour

Answer 5

Educated parents more aware of what they can do to assist their child’s educational progress

Question 6

Use of income

Answer 6

Bernstein and Young found better educated parents more likely to spend money on educational toys, books etc on children

Question 7

WC subcultures

Answer 7

Barry Sugarman found 4 key features acting as barrier to education including fatalism, collectivism, immediate gratification and present-time orientation

Question 8

Compensatory education

Answer 8

Operation Head start, Sesame Street aim to tackle cultural deprivation problems

Question 9

Evaluation

Answer 9

Keddie says this explanation is victim blaming as no child is culturally deprived

Question 10

Housing

Answer 10

Overcrowding, damp can cause health problems

Question 11

Diet and health

Answer 11

Howard notes wc lower intake of vitamins, poorer health so poorer attendance

Question 12

Cost of education

Answer 12

Bull looks at ‘costs of free schooling’ which Tanner says includes things like books, travel, tutors

Question 13

Cultural capital

Answer 13

Bourdieu looks at cultural capital (knowledge + tastes of mc) as well as educational and economic capital which are all related to each other. Sullivan’s survey of 465 pupils found successful pupils with more cultural capital were more likely to be mc but resources and aspiration make up rest of the attainment gap