class differences in achievement (external) Flashcards
Adonis and Pollard
see private education as a major way in which privileges are passed on through generations
what is cultural deprivation?
theory that many working-class children are inadequately socialised and therefore lack the ‘right’ culture to be successful in education
intellectual development as a factor of cultural deprivation
the development of thinking and reasoning skills. WC homes lack the books, educational toys and activities that stimulate a child’s development.
Bernstein and Young (intellectual development)
found that MC mothers are more likely to choose toys that encourage thinking and reasoning skills
language as a factor of cultural deprivation- Bereiter and Engelmann
claim language used in WC homes if deficient
Bernstein (language)
claims MC people use the elaborate code to talk in and WC people use the restricted code. WC children fail because they are not taught the elaborate code, not because of cultural deprivation.
what is the elaborate code?
- used by MC
- has wide vocabulary, based on longer, more complex sentences
- speech is more varied, communicating abstract ideas
what is the restricted code?
- used by WC
- has limited vocabulary, based on short, unfinished, and simple sentences
attitudes and values as a factor of cultural deprivation- Douglas
found WC parents were less ambitious for their children, gave less encouragement, and placed less value on education
Feinstein (attitudes and values)
found WC parents’ lack of interest was the main reason for their child’s underachievement
Hyman (attitudes and values)
claims lower classes believe they have less opportunity for advancement and so place little emphasis on education
Sugarman (attitudes and values)
argues the WC subculture has 4 main values:
- fatalism (belief in fate)
- collectivism (valuing being part of a group more than individual achievement
- immediate gratification (seeking pleasure now instead of making sacrafices for your future)
- present-time orientation (seeing the present as more important than the future)
2007 study by centre for longitudinal studies
found that, by the age of 3, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already up to a year behind those from privileged backgrounds
Feinstein (parents’ education)
argues parents’ own education is the most important factor affecting children’s achievement. Since MC parents tend to be more educated, their children gain an advantage. Due to:
- parenting style (educated parents emphasise consistent discipline, high expectations active learning and exploration. Less educated parents’ inconsistent discipline means children have poorer motivation and problems with teacher interaction)
- parents’ educational behaviour (educated parents more aware of what helps children progress- good teacher relationships etc.)
- language (way parents communicate affects children’s cognitive development)
- use of income (educated parents spend their income to promote child’s development e.g. educational toys)
criticisms of cultural deprivation theory
- ignores the importance of material factors such as poverty
- ignores the impact of school factors e.g. negative labelling
- blames the victim for failure (WC simply have a different culture from the school, putting them at a disadvantage)
what is material deprivation?
living in poverty with a lack of material necessities such as adequate housing
how is poverty linked to educational achievement?
- exclusion and truancy more likely from children with poorer families
- nearly 90% of ‘failing schools’ are located in deprived areas
- Flaherty: money problems in the family are a significant factor in non-attendance of a young child at school
how can poor housing affect a student’s achievement?
overcrowding or cold/ damp homes means pupils have nowhere quiet to do homework or study. Being homeless or living in temporary accommodation may mean frequent moves and changing schools, also causing psychological distress
how can poor diet affect a student’s achievement?
Howard: young people from poorer homes have a lower intake of energy, vitamins and minerals, weakening the immune system which might result in absences from school and difficulty concentrating.
how can lack of financial support affect a student’s achievement?
- children from poor families miss out on enriching experiences and lack necessary equipment
- Tanner: found the cost of items such as transport, uniform and books place a burden on poor families
- poor children stigmatised or bullied for lacking the right uniform and having second-hand clothes
how can lack of financial support affect a student’s probability to attend higher education?
- Callender and Jackson: found WC students more debt-averse. They saw more costs than benefits of going to university, influencing their decisions
- more likely to have to take on paid work and not stay on for post-16 education, so would not receive necessary qualifications to apply for higher education
material factors as only part of why so many WC students underachieve- what other factors
- cultural factors
- equality of the school
- religious/ political views of the family
what is compensatory education?
programmes that aim to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation by providing extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas.
what is Operation Head Start (USA)
multi-billion dollar scheme of pre-school education in poorer areas, aiming to ‘enrich’ the deprived children’s environments to develop skills and instil achievement motivation. Included: improving parenting skills, setting up nursery classes and home visits by educational psychologists
what is Sure Start (UK)
children’s centres aiming to tackle poverty and social exclusion. All young children in most disadvantaged areas had access to care and family support with parental employment. Working with parents to promote physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children, so they could flourish at home and break the cycle of disadvantage.
what is cultural capital?
the knowledge, attitudes, values, language, tastes and abilities that MC parents transmit to their children.
Bordieu
argues that educational success is largely based on possession of cultural capital, thus giving MC students an advantage. He believes that this gives WC children the double burden of having to learn content and the language used. He identifies that the examination system legitimises class inequality through structural inequalities which are ingrained in society. Cultural capital lead to further conflict between the two classes.
Who does cultural capital benefit?
MC children as cultural capital is highly valued in schools, as they acquire the ability to grasp, analyse and express abstract ideas
Who does cultural capital hinder?
WC children as school devalues their culture as inferior, and lack of cultural capital leads to exam failure
Sullivan (challenging Bordieu)
use of questionnaires over 4 schools assessing cultural capital. Showed pupils with higher cultural capital were more likely to be successful at GCSE. Found that, even where pupils of different classes had the same level of cultural capital, MC pupils still did better due to the resources and aspirations of MC families
What does cultural capital include?
taste, experiences, knowledge, language and manners
How might taste give a MC an advantage at school?
- better vocabulary
- advanced conversations with teachers
- wider understanding of different cultures
- greater understanding of why certain subjects are relevant encouraging them to be ambitious
- love of learning, wanting to succeed
How might experiences give MC children an advantage at school?
- ambition grown from work experiences
- networking
- privileged children have tuition, helping them to succeed
- better references for the future, gained by connections
- love of learning, wanting to succeed
How might knowledge give MC children an advantage at school?
- head start in schooling, as already know the basics
- access to tuition helps succeed
- helping students to become experts in chosen topics
- better thinking and reasoning skills
- adaptability
- greater engagement at school if understand key concepts
- gaining greater qualifications
How might manners give MC children an advantage at school?
- more able to cope with formal situations (interviews)
- greater relations with teachers (easier to ask for support in class) (gaining more respect for better references)
- less likely to get in trouble and miss out on learning
- fitting into expected school culture
- preparation for the work place
How might language give MC children an advantage at school?
- speaking other languages develops brain
- knowledge of the elaborate code helps with the understanding and excelling in tests, communication of abstract ideas and communication with teachers
- developing better language develops your brain
- speaking properly gains respect from teachers
What is private education?
independent schools financed from the fees paid by the parents of those attending. The old, established private schools often have charitable status, enabling them to reduce their tax burden
How does the New Right view private education?
claims it exists because of the free market individuals and families who have the right to spend their money as they wish.
evidence- most parents who send their children to private schools do so because they believe it will improve their chances of obtaining better qualifications
How do Marxists view private education?
maintaining divisions in society and ensuring that class inequalities are reproduced.
evidence- about 7% of pupils go to private schools (18% male 15% female post-16), and a higher proportion of privately educated students go into higher education than those from the state sector.
