Education - Class Flashcards
What is material deprivation and how does it affect achievement?
Material deprivation is a lack of money/resources. WC students may lack quiet study space, proper meals, internet, or books. Smith & Noble call it a “barrier to learning.” FSM students have consistently lower GCSE grades (22% gap in 2022).
How does poverty impact learning and engagement?
Overcrowding, hunger, and lack of internet/devices during COVID worsened the attainment gap. 28% of low-income students had no laptop (2021). Leads to low concentration, missed deadlines, and absence.
What is cultural deprivation?
The idea that WC families fail to socialise children with the language, attitudes, and values needed for success. Bernstein: WC use restricted code; MC use elaborated code used in school.
How do critics respond to cultural deprivation theory?
Critics say it’s victim-blaming and ignores cultural differences. Marxists argue WC culture is not deficient — it’s devalued by the system.
What is cultural capital (Bourdieu)?
Cultural capital is MC knowledge, tastes, language and skills that match school values. Bourdieu: education rewards MC habitus, not intelligence.
What are the 3 types of capital according to Bourdieu?
- Cultural capital (knowledge/attitudes) 2. Social capital (networks) 3. Economic capital (money/resources) — all give MC students advantage.
What is habitus in education?
Habitus is a class-based way of thinking and being. School has a MC habitus — WC pupils feel out of place or “less than,” which affects participation and success.
What is symbolic violence in education?
Bourdieu: schools devalue WC tastes (e.g. slang, brands, appearance), punishing them for not conforming to MC norms. This reproduces class inequality invisibly.
How does cultural capital link to marketisation?
MC parents use cultural and social capital to exploit league tables and admissions. Gewirtz: MC parents are “skilled choosers,” WC are “disconnected choosers.”
What is selection by mortgage?
MC families buy homes in catchment areas of top schools. WC parents lack the funds or knowledge to do this, leading to unequal school access under marketisation.
What is teacher labelling and how does it affect WC pupils?
Teachers often label WC pupils as less able, disruptive, or passive. Becker found the “ideal pupil” was MC. Labelling lowers expectations and can lead to underachievement.
What is the halo effect in labelling?
The halo effect is when one trait (e.g. neat appearance) leads teachers to assume academic ability. MC pupils benefit, WC pupils often face bias.
What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?
A prediction that causes itself to become true. If a teacher expects a WC pupil to fail, they may ignore or neglect them — the pupil then underachieves.
What is streaming and how does it reproduce class inequality?
Streaming places pupils in ability groups. WC pupils often in lower streams due to biased assumptions. They receive less challenge and internalise low expectations.
What is differentiation in education?
Differentiation is how teachers categorise pupils (e.g. top/bottom set). High-status pupils get more attention; low-status ones are neglected or disciplined more.
What is polarisation in pupil subcultures?
Polarisation is when students respond to their stream by forming opposing subcultures. High streams become pro-school; low streams (often WC) become anti-school.
What are pupil subcultures and how do they relate to class?
WC pupils may form anti-school subcultures in response to negative labelling or streaming. Lacey: subcultures reflect resistance to school status system.
What are Nike identities (Archer)?
WC students gain peer status through branded clothing and style. These identities clash with school values, leading to punishment and rejection from academic success.
What is symbolic capital and symbolic violence?
Symbolic capital is peer respect (e.g. from fashion). Symbolic violence is when schools punish WC identities, denying them respect and success.
What is the clash of habitus?
When WC pupils’ ways of speaking, dressing, and acting are rejected by school. They feel alienated and undervalued. Archer found this pushed WC girls to prioritise peer approval.
What is educational triage?
Gillborn & Youdell: Schools split students into 3 groups — those who will pass, borderline (get support), and “hopeless” (often WC — ignored). This protects league table performance at WC pupils’ expense.
