Differential educational achievement - social class Flashcards
What subcultures did LOCKWOOD identify associated with the middle class and the working class?
TIME ORIENTATION
W/C: present-time orientation
M/C: future time orientation
ATTITUDE TO GRATIFICATION:
W/C: immediate gratification
M/C: deferred gratification
COLLECTIVISM VS INDIVIDUALISM:
W/C: success through collective action
M/C: success achieved through individual action
ATTITUDES TO LUCK
W/C: based on fate
M/C: chances based on ability/ working hard`
Who suggested the distinctive subcultures between the middle class and working class?
Lockwood
What did SUGARMAN say about present-time orientation?
Present-time orientation/ immediate gratification of W/C makes them unlikely to sacrifice immediate income.
- Stay in education longer
- Gain higher wages
- Better job in long-term
What was DOUGLAS’ study on cultural deprivation?
Longitudinal study
W/C parents less interest in child’s education than M/C
W/C parents:
- Visited school less
- Less keen for children to say on after min. leaving age
- Gave children less attention during early years (primary socialisation)
What did GOODMAN & GREGG state about poverty and low educational achievement?
Poverty was associated with low educational achievement. Cultural factors played key role: - mother-child interactions - How often parents read to children - Value parents put on education
How did BLACKSTONE & MORTIMORE criticise the cultural deprivation theory?
- Research not measured parental interest in education adequately
- W/C parents feel less able to visit school, feel uncomfortable mixing with M/C teachers
What was BEINSTEINS’S study on speech patterns?
Speech, shaped educational achievement.
Restricted code: (W/C)
- shorthand speech, meanings not explicit
- Short, simple, unfinished sentences
Elaborated code: (M/C)
- Meanings made explicit
- Longer, more complex sentences
In exams elaborated code necessary for exam success
Socialised in restricted code limits academic success
How did GAINE & GEORGE criticise BERNSTEIN?
- Bernstein oversimplifies differences in M/C and W/C speech patterns
- Many other factors affect educational achievement
- Class differences have declined since research
What were the 4 class capitals BOURDIEU believe could affect educational achievement?
Economic capital
Cultural capital: possession of qualifications
(Knowledge to help children with work)
Social capital: valuable social contacts
Symbolic capital: possession of status
(Help with admission to private school)
What did BALL ET AL. study about cultural capital and educational choice?
M/C had advantage over W/C when choosing secondary school.
- M/C parents have knowledge and contacts to play system
- W/C parents lacked money to pay for transport or move to catchment area
- W/C parents lacked material resources and cultural capital to ensure child’s success
What did SMITH & NOBLE say about material factors and higher education?
3 ways affluence gives advantages to M/C:
- Having money makes possible for parents to provide materially
- W/C parents cannot afford school trips
- Schools in more affluent areas tend to be more successful, attracting more pupils
What does BRITLAND argue about material factors in schooling?
Parents paying for private tutors gives some M/C children distinct advantage
Rich can afford to go to private schools
What did REAY ET AL research into material factors and higher education show?
Affluent parents could pay for:
- Private tuition to help them get into better universities
- Financial support to attend universities
- Help with living costs so children didn’t have to work while studying
What was HOLLINGWORTH & WILLIAMS study on chavs, charvers and townies?
Labelling of W/C pupils by M/C pupils
Subcultures identified: pupils seen as ‘chavs, charvers, townies’ always W/C
What does the interactionist perspective focus on?
Processes within school and other educational institutions to explain differential achievement
What did HARGREAVES ET AL. state about labelling?
- Pupils appearance, how they respond to discipline, how likeable they are and personality led to teachers labelling students as ‘good’ or ‘bad’
- Teachers interpret behaviour in terms of level- pupil lives up to label
- Results in self-fulfilling prophecy
What was MAC AN GHAILL study on labelling and peer groups?
Studied W/C students. School divided pupils into 3 sets resulting in 3 distinct male W/C groups:
- Macho lads: academic failures
- Academic achievers: academic successes
- New enterprisers: positive attitude to school, saw vocational curriculum as route to career success
Who argued that W/C parents have lower aspirations for their children?
Douglas
Who argues that education doesn’t ‘shift and sort’ but leads to cultural reproduction?
Bourdieu
What are the 4 internal factors which affect differential educational achievement?
Labelling
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Streaming
Subcultures
What is the halo effect?
When a student is stereotyped from a first impression as being good/ bad or thick/ bright
