CLASS DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Flashcards
What evidence for social class differences in working class children?
AO1/2
More likely to start school unable to read
Do less well in SAT’s
Less likely to go on to Sixth Form and University
How can we explain these differences?
Factors affecting underachievement linked to class split in two areas -
EXTERNAL FACTORS (outside the education system at home and wider society)
INTERNAL FACTORS (relationships/process within school)
EXTERNAL FACTORS
AO1
Outside the education system
Name elements of material depravation and meaning of it
AO1
Lack of money
AO2
Housing
Diet and health
The cost of education
Explain housing in MD
AO2
Poor housing can effect exam results, results in pupils mot having room to study to due house being overcrowded or sharing of bedroom.
Means less room for educational activities, nowhere to do homework and disturbed sleep from bedroom sharing so on.
Due to lack of space younger children especially affected, as development can become impaired.
If house isn’t properly heated it may be cold, damp making children unwell, respiratory illnesses. Families in temp accom suffer more distress, infections, accidents. If families living in temp accom may find moving more frequently, resulting in constant changes of school and disturbed education.
Explain Diet and Health in MD
AO2
Howard 2001 found that children from poorer homes eat a poor diet lacking necessary vitamins/ minerals, no energy, feel tired and more likely to be ill. Results in missing more school, when present trouble concentrating. Children from poorer homes also more likely to have emotional or behavioural problems.
According to Wilkinson 1996 among 10 year olds the lower the social class, higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders all likely to have negative impact on child’s education.
Explain The cost of education in MD
AO2
Argument states WCC are disadvantaged as they are more likely to lack material factors that create a good educational environment
(good housing, clothes, healthy food, study space, lack of educational books, equipment)
David bull 1980 refers this as ‘the costs of free schooling’. Children from poorer families miss out on school trips, equipment which may help education.
Tanner 2003 found it was difficult for poorer families to afford all the things their child needed for school ( transport, uniforms, books, calculators, sports, music, art equip)
Poorer children will also not have fashionable coats/shoes and may have second hand clothing/equipment. Ridge 2002 found in her study this means these children are bullied by others, affecting education. Also found low income families children may have to work part time, can interfere with education.
Why working class pupils are more likely than middle class to leave schooling at 16, few go uni.
FEAR OF DEBT - going uni involves more debt to cover cost of tuition fees , WC students more risk averse = uni something to be avoided
Criticisms of Material Deprivation?
AO3 ANALYSE/EVALUATE
Some working class children do not suffer from material depravation, but still underachieve eg skilled manual workers (WC jobs) like builders, plumbers may earn a lot but children don’t do well in school.
.Not all poor children fail, those with supportive parents can have high motivational levels
.Pupil premium was a gov policy introduced to help give extra money to assist poorer family with educations + combat MD
CULTURAL DEPRAVATION
AO1
Lack of correct norms/value to succeed in education
CD theorists argue that parents pass on the values of their class via PS. Attitudes + values key factor affecting achievement. May argue WC lack values/attitudes/correct language to succeed in education contrasting to middle class culture correct to succeed.
Research to support cultural depravation theory?
AO2 Working class subculture, SUGARMAN 1970 found WC subculture consists of certain values that lead to educational underachievement/exam failure.
Present time gratification - life life in the moment, don’t worry about future. (Middle class have future time orientation)
Immediate gratification - wanting rewards now than working hard for them in future. (Middle class have deferred gratification which works hard - better rewards in future)
Fatalistic attitude - WC children believe nothing they can do to make their life better, based on fate and luck.
SUGARMAN further argues WC children internalise such beliefs and values of their subculture via socialisation process = underachieving in school.
What is a criticism of SUGARMAN 1970 Cultural Depravation Working Class theory?
AO3
This is a dated study, as now many parents may encourage children to well as value education, however may struggle helping with homework as didn’t get good education themselves.
What is an external and internal factor?
AO2
Language - BERNSTEIN 1975
Essential part of process of education and way parent communicate with children which affects schooling. Bernstein looks at link between educational achievement and speech patterns.
Two patterns Elaborated code and Restricted code.
The working class tend to use restricted code ‘short hand’ and ‘text like’ speech with simple + unfinished sentences, not analytic but descriptive
The middle class use elaborated code which is more complex, meanings clearly spelt out and more adjectives+verbs.
Education used elaborated speech code, used by teacher for example, also expected in pupils homework. = Reduces chances WC can do well in school.
What is a criticism of the BERNSTEIN 1975 theory?
AO2
1 - some researchers have questioned his view that members of WC are limited to restricted code + that their speech is inadequate. Working class have ability to switch between both codes.
2 - Marxists say it’s not fault of WC that school doesn’t value their culture, fault of capitalist system.
What are general criticisms of Material Depravation?
AO2
1 - KEDDIE describes CD as myth, and victim blaming. WC just have a different culture not a worse or devalued one.
2 - Theory blames the individual for their failure, diverting attention from failings of education system.
3 - Ignores effect of poverty ( material deprivation)
How can cultural deprivation be overcome?
By offering WC compensatory education - general term for policies that try to address CD eg
Educational Action Zones 1990s - money spend of pre school scenes for deprived WC areas
Sure Start 2000 - provide education for pre-school children+work with parents to stress importance of education
Describe one type of capital that help the middle class achieve in education?
AO3
Economic and CULTURAL CAPITAL
CC is having middle class attitudes, skills and knowledge which gives an advantage in education eg speaking in elaborated code
Give 3 examples of Cultural Capital?
Reading complex books
Speaking and writing in elaborated code
Having deferred gratification or future time orientation
MC use these two types of capital (economic and cultural) to make sure their children have an advantage to get educational capital eg qualifications.
What is a criticism of of Cultural Capital?
AO2
The theories are very deterministic which implies people have no free will and if they are WC they can never have CC. Some WC pupils may learn to have CC eg be able to use elaborated code as well as restricted.
INTERNAL FACTORS - INTERACTIONISM
AO1
Interactionists study society on a micro scale, they believe it is to important to look at process and relationships within the school to explain differences in results.
First Interactionist key idea?
AO1
Labelling and the Self-Fulfilling prophecy
Pupils are judged by teachers eg some seem as clever others not
WC pupils more likely to be labelled unintelligent by teachers. MC pupils tend to labelled intelligent
These labels can become true and accepted by the pupils, becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.
Interactionist study
AO1
BECKER 1971
Carried out important study on labelling. Based on interviews with 69 Chicago high school teachers, found that they judged pupils according to how closely they fit image of ‘ ideal pupil ‘.
Pupils work and appearance were key factors influencing a teachers judgement. Teachers now saw MC as closest to ideal pupil + WC as furthest away.
Criticisms of Interactionist study?
1 - however different teachers have different notions of the ideal pupil
NOT EVERY TEACHER LABELS
2 - labelling seen as deterministic ie people have no free will. Ignore that labels can be rejected eg WC pupils labelled as unintelligent may reject that level and do well in exams
LABEL MAY BE REJECTED
Second point of INTERNAL FACTORS?
AO1
2 - Setting and streaming
Pupils put into group according to ability
WCP tend to end up in low sets and streams = teaching can be worse
MCP end up in high sets and streams = behaviour + teaching much better
Interactionist study on setting/streaming
GILLBIORN AND YOUDELL 2001
also found that the WC were seen as unintelligent by teachers and so we’re out into low streams = entered for lower tier GCSE exams. Low sets expected to behave badly, lazy and unintelligent.
The MC were more likely to be found in top stream, seen as hard working, well behaved, clever.
These expectations became reality SFP. G&Y linked this streaming league tables as school want to get a high positron in the league table so they focus time on those who will get 5 grades C’s and level the WC as hopeless cases, give up on them = fail. This process called EDUCATIONAL TRIAGE (sorting based on label).
Labelling evidently subconsciously causes long term damage.
Criticism of interactionist study on setting/streaming
If a pupil works hard they can in theory move up to a higher set/stream
Third point on INTERACTIONISM factors
AO1
SUBCULTURES - group of people who share same norms values beliefs different to wider society. Often develop as response to way pupils labelled or been set/steamed. Can be positive or negative.
Anti school subculture behave in way they won’t do well exams eg rude to teachers, do no work, late, truant. Tend to be WC pupils
Pro school subcultures behave in way that they’ll do well eg sit at front and answer every questions, ask for extra homework, turn up early. Tend to be MC
Interactionist studies on SUBCULTURES
AO2
HARGREAVES 1967
Students placed in low streams those who were labelled trouble makers, WC. As not able to gain status being ‘ good students ‘ they decided to invent different way of achieving status.
Those labelled trouble makers + failures joined together = anti school subculture formed. Gave respect to any member that broke schools rules eg distrusting lessons, rude to teachers, not doing homework which rewarded by their subculture. This behaviour ensures WC failed at school.
BALI 1981 conducted a study of Beachside (comprehensive school) and found that when school abolished bonding, influence of the anti school subculture declined.
Criticism of Subcultues
AO3
Not all anti school subcultures underachieve in exams, some are anti school but pro education like the Black Sisters.
Strengths/Criticisms of Interactionist approach
AO3
Strength is that they are very useful in showing how the interactions within schools actively create class inequalities
Criticism 1 is that they look at education on a micro scale so their findings cannot be generalised to all schools in society
2 They also ignore home factors like MD and CD which also affect achievement.
Pupils CLASS IDENTITIES and the school
Combo of external/internal factors
Habitus meaning?
Refers to the ways of thinking that are shared by different social classes, created outside school but influences inside.
Education system based on MC habitus eg pupils understand and write in elaborated speech code, unfair advantage = symbolic capital from the school
CLASS IDENTITIES study
ARCHER - NIKE IDENTITIES
found that working class felt to be successful in the eduction system they would have to alter how they talked+presented themselves which they didn’t want to do.
Many WC pupils conscious that society, teachers and pupils look down on them, as result decide alternative ways of gaining status by constructing class identities involving street culture+wearing branded sportswear such as Nike. Leads to conflict with school rules on uniform = pupils get sent home and miss lessons. Mainly WC pupils who adopt a Nike identity also seen as rebellious -> teacher labelling = underachievement.
