Class differences in attainment- external

Question 1

What did Reay find out about fear of debt for working class children?

Answer 1

WC students were more likely to apply to local universities so they could live at home and save travel costs-> go to worse uni-> lower attainment

Question 2

Who believes Diet and heath is a factor in material deprivation?

Answer 2

Howard

Question 3

Why could housing cause lower attainment?

Answer 3

• overcrowding-> harder for a child to study-> lower attainment
• cold/damp housing can cause ill health-> absent from school more-> lower attainment

Question 4

3 factors of material deprivation

Answer 4

1. housing
2. Diet and health
3. Fear of debt

Question 5

Overall criticism of material deprivation

Answer 5

• some children from poorer households do well

Question 6

Who criticised Bernstein and his language codes theory?

Answer 6

Gaine and George- criticise Bernstein for exaggerating and oversimplifying the differences between WC and MC speech patterns

Question 7

Who argued that parental education is more important than class?

Answer 7

Fernstein

Question 8

Name 4 WC subcultures and sociologist who defines these

Answer 8

Sugarman:
1. Fatalism
2. Collectivism
3. Immediate gratification
4. Present-time orientation

Question 9

Who criticised cultural deprivation?

Answer 9

Nell Keddie:
- a child cannot be deprived from their own culture
- dismisses the idea that failure in school can be blamed on a culturally deprived home background

Question 10

Who came up with the theory of language codes?

Answer 10

Bernstein

Question 11

Why does Bernstein claim language codes give MC kids an advantage?

Answer 11

Elaborated code is what is used in schools-> MC children are already “at home” in school= advantage

Question 12

3 factors within cultural deprivation?

Answer 12

1. working class subcultures
2. language speech codes
3. parents education

Question 13

What does Bourdieu argue about both cultural and material factors?

Answer 13

• they contribute to educational achievement and are not separate but interrelated
• he uses the concept of “capital” to explain why MC are more successful

Question 14

What is Bourdieu’s idea of cultural capital?

Answer 14

the knowledge, attitudes, values, languages, tastes and abilities of the MC
-> allows MC children to understand abstract ideas

Question 15

How can educational capital and economic capital help children’s attainment?

Answer 15

• wealthier parents can convert their economic capital into educational capital
  -> sending kids to private schools, tuition, educational trips for their children