Class Differences In Achievement EXTERNAL Flashcards
What are the 3 external factors for class differences in achievement?
- Cultural deprivation
- Material deprivation
- Cultural capital
Cultural deprivation definition
Theory that many working class and black children are inadequately socialised leading to them being culturally deprived and therefore lack the right culture needed for educational success
Cultural capital definition
The knowledge, attitudes, values, language and abilities that the middle class transmit to their children. Bourdieu argues that educational success is largely based on possession of cultural capital, thus giving middle class children an advantage.
Material deprivation definition
Poverty; a lack of basic necessities
In education, the material deprivation theory explains working class underachievement as the result of a lack of resources.
Which sociologist focused on speech codes and language and when?
Bernstein 1975
Speech codes
- restricted code: used by w/c, limited vocab, short simple sentences, context bound
- elaborated code: used by m/c, wider vocab, longer more complex sentences, context free
- elaborated code used in schools and by teachers giving m/c advantage and making them more likely to succeed
Which sociologists argued that parents education is a key factor in children’s achievement?
DOUGLAS 1964
FEINSTEIN 2008
DOUGLAS 1964 (parents education) CD
DOUGLAS 1964 found working class parents placed less value on education and were less ambitious for their children (visited schools less often, less likely to discuss children’s progress with teachers) so children had lower levels of motivation and achievement
FEINSTEIN 2008 (parents education)
Argued parents education is the most important factor and since middle class parents tend to be better educated their children gain an advantage
Who agrees that the working class subculture acts as a barrier to educational achievement?
Sugarman 1970
Subculture definition
A group whose attitudes and values differ from those of the mainstream culture
What are the 4 key features of the working class subculture?
- Fatalism
- Collectivism
- Immediate gratification
- Present time orientation
Working class subculture overview
-Large sections of the w/c have different beliefs and attitudes from the rest of society and this is why their children fail at school
- w/c children internalise the beliefs of their subculture through the socialisation process and this results in them underachieving
- m/c values equip children for success whereas w/c values fail to do so
Parenting style (Feinstein)
educated parents emphasises discipline and high expectations which supports achievement. Less educated parents have inconsistent discipline which means children have poorer motivation and problems interacting with teachers.
Parents educational behaviours (Feinstein)
educated parents more aware of what helps children progress (form good relationships with teachers, value educational visits)
Language parents education (Feinstein)
educated parents more likely to use praise which encourages their child whereas less educated parents use language in was that require children to make simple statements and this results in lower performance.
Use of income (Feinstein)
educated parents spend their income in ways that promote their children’s educational success (educational toys, books) whereas w/c homes lack thee resources so children start school without the intellectual skills
Fatalism
Belief in fate
- w/c believe there is nothing u can do to change ur status
- contrasts m/c who emphasise u can change ur position through ur own efforts
Collectivism
Valuing being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual
- contrasts m/c view that u should not be held back by group loyalties
Immediate gratification
Seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices to get rewards in the future
- contrasts m/c value of deferred gratification
Present time orientation
Seeing the present as more important than the future so not having long term goals or plans
- contrasts m/c culture which has a future time orientation
Why do the differences in values exist according to sugarman?
- m/c jobs are secure which encourages ambition and long term planning and effort into gaining qualifications
- w/c jobs less secure and have no career structure
What is compensatory education?
Compensatory education programmes aim to tackle cd by providing extra resources to schools in deprived areas
They intervene early in the socialisation process to compensate for the deprivation they experience at home
Compensatory education examples
- operation head start in the USA was a scheme to provide free pre school education in poorer areas in the 1960s
- in Britain, sure start and educational action zones were aimed at educating pre-school children in disadvantaged areas so when they go to school they can break the cycle of disadvantage
Who described cultural deprivation as a myth?
Keddie 1973
Keddie 1973
- describes cultural deprivation as a myth and sees it as a victim blaming explanation
- dismisses the idea that failure at school can be blamed on a culturally deprived home background
- argues w/c children fail because they are put at a disadvantage by an education system dominated by m/c values
- argues that rather than seeing w/c culture as deficient, schools should recognise and build on its strengths and should challenge teachers anti- working class prejudices
Housing (material deprivation)
- overcrowding/cold damp rooms means student has nowhere quiet to do hw and disturbed sleep from sharing rooms
- homeless/temporary accommodation may mean frequent moves and changes of school and disrupted education
- poor housing can cause ill health meaning more absences
Diet and health (material deprivation)
- poor diet can lead to illness, absences and a lack of concentration due to hunger
- HOWARD 2001 argues people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals
- WILKINSON 1996 says there are higher rates of hyperactivity and behavioural disorders (negative effect on education) in children from poorer homes
Financial support, costs of education & fear of debt (material deprivation)
- poorer families can afford fewer educational opportunities (trips, computers, tuition) and this may result in them feeling isolated or bullied
- CALLENDER & JACKSON 2005 found w/c students are more debt averse and saw more costs than benefits in going to uni and this influenced their decisions to going to uni
- more debt averse students (w/c) over 5 time less likely to apply to uni than debt tolerant students (m/c)
What are the 3 types of capital?
- Cultural
- Educational
- Economic
Who proposed the idea of the 3 types of capitals?
Bourdieu 1984
Cultural capital overview
- knowledge, values of middle class. Middle class culture is a type of capital as it gives an advantage to those who possess it
- argues that through their socialisation middle class children have the ability to analyse and express abstract ideas so develop intellectual interests and understanding of what the education system requires for success (gives them an advantage)
- education system not neutral and favours middle class culture
- w/c finds school devalues their culture as inferior and their lack of cultural capital leads to exam failure and they feel as if education is not for them so they truant or not try
Economic capital
The wealth that middle class families own
Who tested Bourdieu’s ideas?
Sullivan 2001
Sullivans research - testing cultural capital
- Sullivan used questionnaires to conduct a survey of pupils in 4 schools
- to assess their cultural capital, she asked them about a range of activities (reading, tv habits, visiting museums) and tested their vocabulary and knowledge of cultural figures
Sullivans findings
- found those who read complex fiction and watched serious to documentaries developed a wider vocabulary and greater cultural knowledge, indicating cultural capital
- students with greatest cultural capital were children of graduates and were more likely to be successful at gcse
Educational and economic capital
- Bourdieu argues that the 3 capitals can be converted into one another
- m/c children have cultural capital so are better equipped to meet the demands of the curriculum and gain qualifications
- wealthy m/c parents can convert their economic capital into educational capital by sending their children to private schools and paying for tuition
Sullivans conclusions
- pupils with greater cultural capital tend to be m/c but cultural capital only accounts for part of the class difference in achievement
- where pupils of different classes had the same level of cultural capital, m/c pupils still did better
- greater resources and aspirations of m/c families explain the class gap in achievement
