education Flashcards

Question

How does social class affect educational achievement? AO1

Answer 1

• Social class is a key factor influencing educational outcomes, with working-class students generally underperforming compared to middle-class peers. • Bourdieu (1984) – Cultural capital: Middle-class students possess linguistic skills, knowledge, and behaviors that align with the education system, giving them an advantage. • Douglas (1964) – Parental involvement: Working-class parents were less engaged in their children’s education, contributing to lower attainment. • Bernstein (1971) – Language codes: Middle-class students use the ‘elaborated code’ (complex, formal language), whereas working-class students rely on the ‘restricted code’ (simpler, context-dependent language), disadvantaging them in exams and teacher assessments. • Willis (1977) – Anti-school subcultures: Working-class boys rejected school values, leading to underachievement and reinforcing class inequalities.

Answer 2

• Real-world example: Middle-class students are overrepresented in Russell Group universities, while working-class students are more likely to attend post-1992 universities or enter employment early. • Application to contemporary society: Policies such as Pupil Premium (extra funding for disadvantaged students) and free school meals aim to reduce the attainment gap, but social class disparities persist in exam results and university access.

Answer 3

✅ Strengths: • Highlights how education reproduces class inequalities through cultural capital and economic barriers. • Explains systemic disadvantages, such as teacher bias and material deprivation, which hinder working-class students. ❌ Weaknesses: • Deterministic: Some working-class students excel academically, suggesting social class is not the sole determinant of success. • Overlooks intersectionality – factors like ethnicity and gender interact with social class, complicating its effects. Synoptic Links: • Marxism: Education serves as an ideological tool that reinforces capitalist class structures (Althusser, 1971). • Feminism: Working-class girls face a ‘double disadvantage’ due to both gender and class inequalities.

Answer 4

• Parental involvement in education is a key factor in shaping children’s academic achievement. Research has shown that students whose parents are actively engaged in their education tend to perform better academically. • Douglas (1964) emphasized the importance of parental attitudes toward education, finding that children whose parents took an active interest in their schooling were more likely to succeed. • Hyman (1967) argued that middle-class parents are better equipped to provide educational support because of their greater resources and cultural capital. • Feinstein (2003) showed that children from more engaged families tend to have better cognitive skills, regardless of their social class background.

Answer 5

• Real-world example: Schools in more affluent areas often have higher levels of parental engagement, leading to better outcomes for their students. Programs such as parent-teacher conferences and family learning sessions are designed to involve parents in their children’s education. • Application to contemporary society: The gap in parental involvement can contribute to educational inequalities, as children from disadvantaged backgrounds may not receive the same level of support at home.

Answer 6

• ✅ Strengths: • Feinstein (2003): Found that parental support, particularly through reading and engaging in a child’s education, significantly boosts academic achievement. • Bourdieu (1984): Middle-class parents transmit cultural capital (e.g., language skills, knowledge of the education system), giving their children an advantage. • Material support: Parents with higher incomes can afford private tuition, educational resources, and experiences that enhance learning. • ❌ Weaknesses: • Marxist critique: Parental involvement may reinforce class inequalities, as working-class parents may lack time or knowledge to support their children effectively (Reay, 1998). • Overemphasis on parents: Ignores structural factors like school funding, teacher quality, and wider economic inequalities that shape educational success. • Cultural deprivation vs. cultural difference: Some sociologists argue working-class and ethnic minority parents support their children’s education differently, rather than less (Keddie, 1973). Synoptic Links: • Education Policy: Policies like Sure Start aim to compensate for differences in parental support. • Research Methods: Parental involvement is often measured using self-report surveys, which may be subject to social desirability bias.

Answer 7

• Educational policies shape the structure, content, and delivery of education, influencing inequality and social mobility. • The Butler Act (1944): Introduced free secondary education for all, but its tripartite system (grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools) reinforced social class divisions. • The Education Reform Act (1988): Established the National Curriculum, standardized testing (e.g., GCSEs), and marketization (league tables, parental choice), increasing competition between schools. • New Labour (1997-2010): Introduced Sure Start centres (early childhood support for disadvantaged families) and the Pupil Premium (extra funding for disadvantaged students), but critics argue their impact was limited. • Conservative Policies (2010-present): Expanded academies and free schools, aiming for school autonomy, but critics argue this has fragmented the education system and increased inequality.

Answer 8

• Real-world example: The rise of Academies has created a two-tier system, where some schools gain autonomy and funding, while others remain under local authority control. • Application to contemporary society: The Pupil Premium aimed to close the achievement gap, but research suggests its impact is inconsistent, with some schools using funds ineffectively.

Answer 9

✅ Strengths: • Policies like the Pupil Premium attempt to reduce educational inequality, helping disadvantaged students access more resources. • Marketization has encouraged school accountability, improving overall standards in some areas. ❌ Weaknesses: • Academies and free schools disproportionately benefit middle-class families, increasing educational stratification. • League tables & standardization create pressure on schools to focus on results over learning, leading to teaching to the test and increasing stress for students. Synoptic Links: • Marxism: Policies like academization reinforce the privileges of the ruling class, ensuring middle-class children receive better education. • Social Class & Education: Middle-class students benefit more from marketization, as their parents have the cultural and economic capital to navigate the system effectively (Bourdieu, 1984).

Answer 10

• Ethnic differences in educational achievement show how ethnicity interacts with other factors like social class and gender. Some ethnic groups consistently outperform others, while some face systemic disadvantages. • Gillborn (2008) argues that institutional racism exists in schools, with Black and ethnic minority students facing lower teacher expectations, higher exclusion rates, and a Eurocentric curriculum that marginalizes their experiences. • The Swann Report (1985) concluded that cultural factors, such as the language spoken at home, can affect academic achievement. It highlighted that Black Caribbean children tend to perform worse due to factors like a lack of family support and lower expectations from teachers. • Modood (2004) found that Bangladeshi and Pakistani students tend to underachieve compared to White British pupils, but when controlling for class, the gap narrows. This suggests that socio-economic status is a key factor in ethnic differences in achievement. • Sewell (1997) argues that Black Caribbean boys underachieve due to a lack of father figures, leading them to seek identity in anti-school subcultures, where academic success is seen as “acting white.”

Answer 11

• Real-world example: GCSE data consistently shows that Chinese and Indian students outperform White British students, while Black Caribbean and Pakistani students tend to achieve lower grades. • Application to contemporary society: Government policies, such as ethnic minority achievement grants, have been introduced to support disadvantaged ethnic groups, but critics argue they fail to address deep-rooted inequalities like institutional racism.

Answer 12

✅ Strengths: • Highlights how structural racism operates in education, showing how the system disadvantages some ethnic groups. • Recognizes cultural and economic factors (e.g., parental support, poverty, language barriers) that shape educational success. ❌ Weaknesses: • Overlooks intersectionality—ethnic minorities are not a homogenous group, and factors like gender and class create variations within ethnic groups. For example, Black Caribbean girls outperform Black Caribbean boys. • Some argue the focus on racism is overstated, as Chinese and Indian students often outperform White British students, suggesting cultural values and work ethic play a role. Synoptic Links: • Marxism: Ethnic minorities are more likely to be working-class, meaning they suffer material deprivation (e.g., overcrowded housing, low-income jobs), which affects achievement. • Crime & Deviance (Sociology): Sewell’s concept of the “hyper-masculine identity” links to gang culture and crime, affecting Black boys’ school engagement.

Answer 13

• Gender roles and socialization shape educational outcomes by influencing expectations, subject choices, and career aspirations. These are reinforced through family, school, and media influences. • Oakley (1974) identified gender socialization, where girls are encouraged to be obedient and cooperative, aligning with school norms, while boys are socialized to be independent and assertive, leading to higher rates of disruptive behavior and academic underperformance. • Lloyd (2012) found that gendered expectations within the curriculum push girls towards humanities and caring professions while boys are directed towards STEM fields, reinforcing occupational segregation. • Francis (2000) noted that boys often view academic effort as ‘unmasculine’, leading them to disengage from school. • McRobbie (1991) linked improved female achievement to changing aspirations, with feminism increasing girls’ emphasis on careers and education. • Mac an Ghaill (1994) explored the ‘crisis of masculinity’, where the decline of manual labor jobs has left working-class boys disengaged from school due to limited career prospects

Answer 14

• Real-world example: Girls consistently outperform boys at GCSE and A-Level, particularly in literacy-based subjects, while boys are overrepresented in STEM fields. • Contemporary initiatives: • STEM initiatives for girls aim to challenge gender norms and encourage female participation in science and engineering. • Literacy programs for boys seek to close the gender gap in reading and writing, addressing early disadvantages. • Higher education trends: Women are more likely to attend university, especially in fields like law and medicine, while men dominate engineering and technology.

Answer 15

✅ Strength 1: Recognizes how socialization and school structures reinforce gender differences in achievement and subject choices, explaining why girls excel in literacy while boys struggle. ✅ Strength 2: Highlights the role of changing female aspirations, with Sharpe (1976, 1994) showing that women now prioritize careers over traditional gender roles, contributing to their educational success. ❌ Weakness 1: Overlooks intersectionality—class and ethnicity also shape gendered educational outcomes. Working-class boys face greater disadvantages than middle-class boys, and ethnic minority girls may experience different pressures. ❌ Weakness 2: Some argue that there is now a ‘moral panic’ about boys’ underachievement, distracting from persistent gender inequalities in career progression and subject choice, where women remain underrepresented in high-status STEM fields. Synoptic Links: • Feminism: Links to the impact of feminist movements on raising female aspirations and improving educational outcomes. • Functionalism: Suggests that education adapts to changing societal needs, with more women entering high-status careers.