Class Differences In Achievement (Internal Factors)

Question 1

what are the 5 internal factors that result in class differences?

Answer 1

1. )Labelling
2. )The Self Fulfilling Prophecy
3. )Streaming
4. )Pupil Subcultures
5. )Pupils’ class identities and the school

Question 2

What is labelling?

Answer 2

To label someone is to attach a meaning or definition to them. In this case teachers may label students as ‘bright’, ‘hardworking’ & ‘able’ or perhaps ‘Troublemaker’ or ’low ability’.

Question 3

Becker (1971) Labelling in Secondary Schools. What did Becker’s research show us?

Answer 3

Using Interviews of 60 high school teachers , Becker found that teacher stereotyped students based on their work, conduct & appearance.

Question 4

What is the Halo effect?

Answer 4

Hargreaves suggests that labelling leads to certain students being given imaginary halos which stay with them throughout their educational career. Future interactions with teachers are based on these halos.

Question 5

Cicourel & Kitsuse (1963) Counsellor & Labelling. What did their research show us?

Answer 5

Found that counsellors assessed students largely on their social class and/or race. Counsellors played an important role in judging students’ suitability for college courses.

M/C students tended to be referred to higher ability courses & academic subjects.

Question 6

Rist: (1970) Labelling in Primary Schools. What did Rist’s research show us?

Answer 6

Rist found that teachers used information about their pupils’ home backgrounds (as well as judging their appearance) to place pupils in separate groups.

Question 7

What is the ‘Self Fulfilling Prophecy’?

Answer 7

This is prediction that comes true purely on the basis of it being made. Labelling can affect pupils’ achievement by creating a SFP.

Question 8

What are the 3 stages of the Self Fulfilling Prophecy?

Answer 8

1. )Teacher labels a pupil & makes predictions about them in relation to the label.
2. )The teacher interacts with the pupil based on this label and prediction.
3. )The pupil internalises the label, prediction & teachers’ expectations & it becomes part of their self-concept. The pupil becomes the label & acts accordingly to the prediction & this ‘fulfils’ the original ‘Prophecy’.

Question 9

Rosenthal & Jacobson (1968) Teacher’s Expectations & the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: What do they suggest? (Include evaluation)

Answer 9

-They gave a fake iq test that identified spurters + non-spurters
-R&J suggested that the teachers interacted with the ‘Spurter’ pupils differently & conveyed their high expectation on to them - in turn, these pupils internalised these views & performed better than the ‘Non-Spurters’.

❌ unethical as gives disadvantage to other students + unneeded pressure if kids identifies ‘spurters’

Question 10

3.) Streaming

Answer 10

Streaming involves separating children into different ability groups or classes called ‘streams’. Each ability group is then taught separately from the others for all subjects.

Question 11

Gillborn & Youdell (2004): List the Educational triage.

Answer 11

1. ) Pupils
2. ) Triage System
3. ) A) Those who will pass anyway. B) Border line C/D pupils - targeted for extra help. C) Hopeless cases.
   -Neglects the W/C

Question 12

4.) Pupil subculture; What is a pupil subculture?

Answer 12

A pupil subculture is a group of pupils who share similar values and behaviour patterns. Pupil subcultures often emerge as a response to the way pupils have been labelled, and in particular as a reaction to streaming.

Question 13

Colin Lacey (1970) What is Differentiation?

Answer 13

-Refers to the way that teachers categorise or ‘Differentiate’ between pupils according to stereotypes about ability, appearance etc.
-Setting & Streaming are forms of differentiation as well as ‘Foundation’ & ‘Higher’ tier exam differentiation.

Question 14

Colin Lacey (1970) What is Polarisation?

Answer 14

-This is the process in which pupils respond to streaming by moving towards one of two opposites ‘poles’ or extremes.
-Lacey found that streaming polarised boys into pro or anti subcultures.

Question 15

What is the pro-school subculture?

Answer 15

Pupils placed in high streams, usually m/c who tend to remain committed to school values.

Question 16

What is the anti-school subculture?

Answer 16

-Those placed in low streams, usually w/c, they attempt to gain status from friends due to being inferior at school.

Question 17

Describe Paul Willis’ pupil subculture study (include evaluation)

Answer 17

-W/C kids fail themselves by conforming to anti-school subcultures, e.g. not doing homework, being loud, disruptive etc.
-Leads them to lower streams, negative labels.
-They realise they can’t make their way up in society + the school system is set against them so they just mess around + have fun.

❌Too deterministic; that all w/c boys don’t try + ignores w/c boys who listen as they believe they can move up the social ladder.
❌Hawthorne affect; change behaviour as they know they are being watched, e.g. acting up = lack of validity.

Question 18

Pupil subculture; other responses to labelling + streaming

Answer 18

Ritualism - conforming + staying out of trouble.
Retreatism - messing about.
Rebellion - outright rejection everything the school stands for.

Question 19

5.) Pupils’ class identities (Archer); what is a habitus and what habitus does the school have?

Answer 19

Habitus - refers to the take for granted ways of thinking + acting shared by a social class, e.g. ‘what is normal for people like us’
-School has a m/c habitus .

Question 20

5.) Pupils’ class identities; What is symbolic capital and symbolic violence?

Answer 20

-M/C kids have symbolic capital (status from the school) as the school has a M/C habitus and the M/C kids have already been socialised into this habitus, e.g. the tastes, values + language of the school.
-Therefore have an advantage as W/C habitus is deemed as tasteless + inferior.
-Therefore W/C kids get no symbolic capital and get symbolic violence. This reproduces the class structures by keeping W/C kids below the M/C.

Question 21

5.) Pupils’ class identities; How does symbolic violence lead to a Nike identity?

Answer 21

-Symbolic violence (lack of recognition by the school) leads to W/C kids looking for status from peers.
-They perform this by buying branded clothes - failure to conform to trending styles = social suicide.
-The right style = symbolic capital from peers that they weren’t able to achieve from the education system.
-The style is looked down on by the school causing more conflict over dress codes as seen as bad taste/threat.
-Archer argues W/C pupils’ identities/style is a struggle for recognition that the M/C see as tasteless.

Question 22

Evaluation of internal factors for class differences in achievement.

Answer 22

❌ Ignores factors like gender + ethnicity
❌ Too deterministic - that once a kid is labelled they internalise it, ignores that kids can reject labels + prove them wrong.

✅ Helps explain why the W/C may underachieve and how the education system needs to be reformed.