Class (Internal) Flashcards
How do teachers label students?
Studies show teachers often attach labels regardless of pupils actual ability/attitude, instead on the basis of stereotyped assumptions about class background
Labelling M-C positively and W-C negatively
What sociologists carry out a large number of studies of labelling
Interactionists - study small-scale, face-face interactions such as in the classroom/playground
Interested in how people attach labels + effects on those labelled
Give an important interactionist study of labelling
Based on interviews with 60 Chicago high school teachers, Becker found they judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the ‘ideal pupil’
Pupils’ work, conduct, + appearance key factors influencing judgement: M-C closes to ideal, W-C furthest because regarded them as badly behaved
Give an example of how teachers may have different notions of the ‘ideal pupil’
A more recent study of two English primary schools by Jorgenson found notions vary depending on social class make-up of the school
- Largely W-C Aspen primary school - where staff said discipline was a major issue - IP was defined as quiet, passive and obediant - defined in terms of behaviour not ability
- Largely M-C Rowan primary school - few discipline issues - IP defined in terms of personality + academic ability rather than a ‘non-misbehaving pupil’
Give an exmaple study of labelling in secondary schools
Dunne & Gazeley: ‘schools persistently produce W-C UA’ through labels + assumptions
Interviews in 9 English state SS:
- T ‘normalised’ W-C UA , unconcerned by it, felt could do little/nothing - believed could overcome UA off M-C
Reason: T’s belief in role of home backgrounds: labelled W-C parents as uninterested but M-C supportive (e.g. paying music lessons, attending parents’ evenings)
How did teachers’ belief in home background in Dunne & Gazeley’s study lead to differences in teacher treatment?
Set extension work for M-C underachieving pupils, but entering W-C pupils for easier exams
Underestimating W-C potential + saw those doing well as ‘overachieving’
What do Dunne & Gazeley conclude?
Way teachers explained and dealt with UA itself constructed class differences in levels of attainment
Give an example study of labelling in primary schools
Occurs from the outset of educational career - Rist’s study of American Kindergarten found T’s use info from home background + appearance to place them into seperate groups, each seated at a different table
Give the 3 groups Rist identifies in study of American kindergarten
- Decided fast learners : labelled ‘tigers’ tended to be M-C of neat + clean appearance
Seated nearest, shown most encouragement - The other 2: ‘cardinals’ + ‘clowns’ - seated furthest away, ML W-C
Given lower-level books to read + fewer chances to show abilities - e.g. had to read as group, not individuals
According to _____________ labelling can affect achievemnt by creating a ________-____________ ______________
Interactionists
self-fulfilling prophecy
Give 3 steps of SFP
S1: Teacher labels a pupil (intelligent), and on the basis of this label, maked preditctions about them (will make outstanding progress)
S2: T treats P accordingly, acting as if prediction is already true (more attention, expecting higher standard of work)
S3: P internalises T’s expectation, which become part of their self-concept/image - so become kind of P T believed them to be to begin with. prediction is fulfilled (gains confidence, works harder=successful)
Give an example study of how teachers’ expectations show SFP at work
Study of Oak community, a Calfifornian primary school, Rosenthal & Jacobson told the school they had a new test desgined to identify pupils would would ‘spurt’ ahead - in fact a standard IQ test - T believed this
Picked 20% randomly, falsely telling the school these where ‘spurters’ - A year later: found almost half had made sig. progress, the effect greater on youngest
How did Rosenthal & Jacobson’s study exemplify the SFP
Suggests teachers’ beliefs influenced by supposed results, conveying to P in interactions - e.g. body lang. amount of attention + encouragement
Simply by accepting predictions, T’s brought it about
Random selection: If T’s Believed P to be a certain type, they can make them into that type
What important principle did the study of Rosenthal & Jacobson illustrate?
Interactionist principle: what people believed to be true will have great effects - even if not true originally
What else can a SFP produce, other than significant progress?
UA - If T have low expectations + communicate them in their interactions - these children may develop a negative self-concept (see selves as failures= give up)
What streams are W-C and M-C pupils classed into?
- As Becker shows W-C unlikely to be seen as ideal pupils - tend to see as lacking ability + have low expectations ∴ lower stream
Difficult to move up to higher stream - locked into T low expectations - ‘get the message’ T have written off as no-hopers
‘hopless cases’ ‘warehoused’ into bottom sets
Douglas found lower stream children at age 8 suffered a decline in IQ score by age 11
- M-C benefit from process of streaming - likely placed in higher streams reflecting T view of them as ideal pupils
develop positive self-concept, gain confidence, work harder to improve grades
Douglas: higher stream age 8 had improved IQ score by age 11
Give a study that shows how teachers stream according to ‘ability’
Study of two London secondary schools by Gillborn & Youdell shows how T use stereotypical notions of ‘ability’ to stream pupils
T less likely to see W-C (+ black pupils) as having ability ∴ ML placed in lower streams + entered for low-teir GCSEs (denies knowledge + good grades + widens class gap)
Which policy did Gillborn & Youdell link streaming to?
Publishing league tables - schools must achieve good positions to attract pupils + funding
What did publishing league tables lead to?
What Gillborn & Youdell call an ‘A-to-C economy’
