education and social class Flashcards
What is social class?
-someones position within the hierarchy : occupation, income, qualifications
What may determine someones social class?
-accent
-clothes
-money
-school type
-manners
-cultural capital
characteristics of upper class?
-private school
-oxford and cambridge
-high paid jobs
-connections (social capital)
Characterstics of middle class?
-cheaper private school
-state schools
-private tuition
-extra curricular clubs
-universities- russell groups
Characteristics of lower class?
-state schools
-local area schools
-vocational, BTEC and apprentiships
-less likely to go UNI
-lower status UNI
Explaination for social class differences?
(internal factors)
-school policies
-labeling
-setting and streaming
-pupil subcultures
Explaination for social class differences?
(external factors)
-economic capital
-cultural capital
-cultural deprivation
-less moeny for priv tutor
What is meant by external factors?
-refers to things taking place out of school that impact someones educational attainment
whats meant by internal factors?
-refers to things which take place in school that impact educational attainment
What is meant by material factors?
-money and the impact of being wealthy or poor
Whats meant by economic capital?
-advantage held by those who have money to invest in education
Examples of economic capital?
-buying textbooks
-private tutors
-money for uniform
-extra curricular activities
-school trips
-websites
-lunch
Adonis and pollard idea about private tutors
-more economic capital = private tutors
-provides ppl w advantage
-more likely to secure place in elite uni
-priviledge transmitted through one gen to another
What is meant by material deprivation?
-those who dont have enough money
to afford material goods
What do smith and noble say about poorer pupils?
-‘barrier to learning’
-cant afford range of educational e.g toys, books,space, tutor
-cant achieve as high grades
what do callendar and jackson say about poorer pupils?
-put off UNI due to fear of debt
-too expensive
-needed to take up full time employment to cover familys income
how material factors impact educational achievement?
-health= poor nutrition
-living accomodation= damp, overcrowded
-pre schl education= £1400 per month
-toys and resources
-trips and activities
-part time work
-school facilities
-higher education fees
-catchment area - disadvatged area may ruin ED attainment
what does J.W.B douglas say about cultural deprivation & parent attitudes?
-middle class parents place more importance on childs education
-visit school frequently
-attend parent evenings
-likely to encourage child more
-more interest in childs ED
Evaluate J.W.B Douglas?
-working class have to be at work
-high power position mean they can plan their time more
-working class may have poor education themselves
-working class would fight for their kid to move up social ladder
What does Bernstein say about cultural deprivation and langauge use?
-language used by working class is restricted code
-middle class is elaborated code
-elaborated code fits demand of school work and writing essays
- these require more detail
-middle class use elaborated at home so find it easy
The restricted code?
-between family & friends
-ungrammatical and limited
-understood by both speakers so detail not needed
The elaborated code?
-strangers and individuals in formal context
-explanation and detail needed
-business letter, essays
-wider vocab
Examples of Elaborated code?
-“Good morning ms im sorry im late”
-“Im very sorry that i didnt complete the work, i was so busy and stressed about other assignments”
Examples of restricted code?
-“i didnt do it”
-“im not sure”
evaluation of langauge codes?
weaknesses:
-lanaguge use can depend on context situation and not class
-mood/ prsn being spoken to is also important
strengths:
-highlights bias towards elaborated code in schools
The mis education of the working class?
(examples of class segregation in schools?)
-upper class= private schools
-working class fewer qualified teachers
-working class = lower sets, less experience
negative implications of putting kids into sets?
-competitive counting culture
-remorseless system of hierarchical ranking
-people in bottom set disregarded
-impact self esteem if considered low ability
whats the middle class advantage over working class?
-intellectual superiority
- private tutors
-buy properties within catchment areas for high achieving schools
how to make education fairer?
-social mix- improving working class kids attainment
-they learn what they share is more important then their ‘differences’.
what is meant by higher professional backgrounds?
-parents hv jobs e.g lawyer, doctor w specialist training they earn more money
whats meant by routine backgrounds?
-parents hv low skilled jobs e.g cleaner, shop assistant - less qualified
what is a state school?
-GOv funded, all uk citzens have right to free place
private/ indpependant schl?
-pay fees to attend
public school?
-elite private schl, public if your rich enough to pay huge fees
1.cultural deprivation
2.immediate gratification
3.deferred gratification
1.deprived of cultural knowledge to do well in ED
2.want rewards now rather than later (leave at 16- working class)
3.realising rewards will be greater at the end( stay in Ed longer middle class)
4.capital
5.cultural capital
6.economic capital
4.having an advantage
5.advantage in knowledge e.g music, art
6.advantage in money to spend on ED
7.social capital
8.compensatory ED
7.social connections and networks e.g internships
8.policies brought by gov to design to tackle material and cultural deprivation providing extra resources to schls
what is the meaning of cultural deprivation?(attitudes and values)
-cultural deprivation explanations of underachievement suggesting attitudes, language, other aspects of cultural life are deficient compared to white, middle class.
what does sugarman say?
-working class have diff values, attitudes and lifestyles and this disadvantages them in ED system.
What does future orientation mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-means planning for the future
-middle class advantage focus on what they need to achieve grades
What does deferred gratification mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-means to stay in ED longer putting rewards off in the hope for better rewards later
-(middle class stay in higher ED to achieve better jobs)
What does present time orientation mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-means lack of emphasis on future goals and planning
-(working class the lads, to have a laugh)
What does immediate gratification mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-want reward now,leave school to get a job even if low pay
-(working class leave school as soon as they can)
What does fatalism mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-means acceptance of what will be and you cant change
-working class dont try change their position
What does collectivism mean and how does impact on educational experience?
-loyalty to the grp and not jus for the individual
-working class dont compete w eachother but work together
evaluation of sugarman
-quite dated
-sodha and margo found similar attitudes still relevant today, still impact on achievement in difff classes
-may be more relevant to the white working class
- then ethnic who normally have higher aspirations
-as ethnic are more under pressure and want to make the most out of ED
What is the cultural capital within schools?
-right dress, behavior, attitude
-extension to home life
-seek good marks, do hw
-to appear intelligent
why does the working class find the cultural capital within schools hard?
-unfamiliar to them at home
-culture clash in their home
-brings underachievement
what does Bourdieu say?
middle class have cultural,social and economic capital which advantages them in education
example of cultural capital?
-watch bbc
-gallery
-museum
-bourdieu
examples of social capital?
-know headteachers
-important ppl
-help w admissions
-gerwitz
examples of economic capital?
-resources
-move house to catchment areas
-gerwtiz
Evaluate cultural capital
-seen no correlation w increase in GCSE results
-reading activites more effective(boosted grades by 7 to 9 points)
-evidence from understanding society survery
other benefits of cultural capital?
-longer life
-lower risk of premature death
-boost wellbeing
-improve depression, dementia
What does “sure start” labour gov (1998) do?
-pre school children
-play sessions, educational toys and parent support classes
evaluate “sure start”
-not large impact
-middle class would take advantage
pupil premium (2011) coalition gov
-additional money
to FSM
-money spent on strategies resources to support
evaluation pupil gov
-not enough to close the gap
-less able parents cant really help w hw
-some schls spend money to support SEN students
what does educational maintenance allowance labour gov do?
-money given to 16-19 year olds from low income
-help in further ED
Evaluate educational maintenance
-helpful to students to pay books and travel but scrapped by coalition
excellence in cities labour gov?
-schools in deprived areas given extra money
-get resources
-improve outcomes
evaluate excellence in cities
-whitty claims schemes didn’t work
-didnt make enough impact on achievement
How can we evaluate the cultural explanations?
-overlook practical diffuclties; working class work alot, more shifts, dont have enough time to visit schl
-ignore school issues;teachers attitudes towards pupils is what disadvatages them
-schools should change!; embrace working class culture more
-compensatory ED; was largely unsucessful from gov
What did Douglas say?
-working class parents show less interest in childs ED; dont attend parents evenings
-thats why they underachieve
What did Becker say?
-teachers label students of middle class as being ‘ideal pupils’ they are more favoured
what did Gilborn say?
-working class & black pupils more likely to be bottom set
What did Bourdieu say?
-use term ‘cultural capital’ to posses superior knowledge
-gained by going galleries,theatres,mueseums
-middle class
What did rosenthal and jacobson say?
-‘self fulfilling prophecy’
-children completed IQ test
-teachers werent given correct info ab their scores
what did Gerwitz say?
-middle class pupils more likely to get into good schools
-using cultural and economic advantage
what did Howard say?
-young people from poorer homes have poor health and nutrition
-have more time off school
What did Bernstein say?
-middle class speak in elaborate code
-advantage to middle class as its the language of schls and teachers
What did Sugarman say?
-Working class posses 4 key values which may lead to underachievement; fatalism, collectivism, immediate gratification and present time orientation.
