Education - Class and Achievement

Question 1

which students do better in school?

Answer 1

middle class

Question 2

what is material deprivation

Answer 2

living in poverty and lacking material necessities

Question 3

How does housing affect a child’s achievement (EF)

Answer 3

overcrowded housing means w/c kids have no quiet place to revise
w/c children live in temp accom not a stable place to stay causing them to move around a lot and move schools
causes disruption
Cold / damp living conditions - can lead to illness and frequent absences and leads to difficulty catching up , lack of understanding and underachievement

Question 4

what does howard say ?
(EF)

Answer 4

ill health - poorer families have a lower intake of minerals and vitamins this affects energy levels and performance
also cause them to be sick resulting in frequent absences

Question 5

Wilkinson (EF)

Answer 5

Wilkinson – among 10 year olds – the lower the social class the higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and behavioural disorders. These can lead to exclusion from lessons and consequent underachievement.

Question 6

Blanden and Machin
(EF)

Answer 6

children from low income families are more likely to engage in externalising behaviours such as tantrums which can negatively affect their schooling.

Question 7

Tanner (EF)

Answer 7

Lack of money can lead to no books, PCs, lack of school equipment, PE kit or uniform. Tanner says many poor families can’t afford these which can affect educational achievement of their children.

Question 8

Ridge (EF)

Answer 8

Mnay w/c kids have part time jobs so have less time to study and do not want to go uni bc of debt

Question 9

Evaluation for Material deprivation

Answer 9

Sure Start was a policy designed to help disadvantaged families with the physical, intellectual and social development of their babies and children in order to break the cycle of disadvantage. Over 3000 Sure Start centres were opened to provide education, care, health services and support with parental employment.
Similarly, to encourage more teenagers to stay in education, the gov created the EMA, financial support for those in post-16 education.

Question 10

What is cultural deprivation ?

Answer 10

Cultural deprivation refers to the lack of values, skills and attitudes needed for educational achievement such as language, self-discipline and reasoning skills.

Question 11

Hubbs -Tait
CD (ef)

Answer 11

Hubbs-Tait et al found that when parents use language that challenges their children and makes them evaluate their understanding, the children’s cognitive ability improves.

Question 12

Feinstein
CD (ef)

Answer 12

– educated parents are more likely to use language that develops cognitive performance, e.g. asking their children to explain or justify something.

Question 13

Bereiter and Engelmann
CD (ef)

Answer 13

working class communicate through deficient language as they use gestures and single words so their children do not develop the language skills needed to do well at school.

Question 14

Bernstein
CD (ef)

Answer 14

rgues that there are two different speech codes – the restricted and elaborate.
Restricted code - used by the w/c. It is limited in vocabulary, uses short, unfinished and grammatically simple sentences. It is descriptive and context-bound – the speaker assumes the listener is familiar with the topic.
Elaborated code - used by the m/c. It has a wide vocabulary and consists of longer, grammatically correct sentences. It is context free – the speaker assumes the listener isn’t familiar with the topic so explains their meaning in detail.
Elaborated code is used by teachers, textbooks and exams. As w/c children are not familiar with the elaborated code when they start school, it puts them at a disadvantage. On the other hand, m/c children are socialised into using the elaborated code and so feel comfortable at school.

Question 15

parents education - Douglas
CD (ef)

Answer 15

w/c parents lack interest in education, are less ambitious for their children and take less interest in their children’s education. This is illustrated by their infrequent visits to school or contact with teachers. This results in lower aspirations and motivation.

Question 16

parenting style - Feinstein
CD (EF)

Answer 16

m/c parents’ parenting style emphasises discipline and high expectations, while w/c parents are more harsh and apply discipline inconsistently which prevents their children from learning self-control leading to lower motivation at school and problems interacting with teachers.

Question 17

Parents’ educational behaviours
Cultural dep (EF)

Answer 17

m/c parents are more likely to engage in activities with their children that help them do well at school such as reading, teaching them letters, songs, poems, drawing, etc. m/c parents are also better at establishing good relationships with teachers and take their children to museums and libraries.

Question 18

use of income Bernstein and young
CD(EF)

Answer 18

– m/c parents have the income needed for educational toys and activities such as visits to museums. They are more likely to but books to help develop their children’s intellect.

Question 19

What is W/C subculture ?

Answer 19

h gives them different values to the mainstream values.
w/c parents’ values are passed onto their children, so the children themselves lack interest in education. This leads to educational underachievement.

Question 20

what does sugarman say ?

Answer 20

Fatalism – belief in faith, that individuals have no control over their lives.
Collectivism – being useful to your family / friends is more important that individual success.
Immediate gratification – seeking rewards now, rather than working for long term rewards.
Present time orientation – living for today.
Sugarman argues w/c have less secure jobs with no career progression which lowers their ambition and long term planning.

Question 21

Evaluation of Cultural Deprivation
compensatory edu

Answer 21

Compensatory education -
Is a government policy designed to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation by providing extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas. It aims to compensate w/c children for their lack of knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for educational success.
eg . operation headstart - aim to give children support
set up tv show - sesame street

Question 22

Evaluation - Myth of cultural Dep

Answer 22

Keddie claims that cultural deprivation is a myth because w/c children are culturally different rather than deprived. Schools should stop seeing w/c culture as deficient and instead build on its strengths and challenge teachers’ prejudice against the w/c.

Blackstone and Mortimore – criticise Douglas – w/c parents are interested in their children’s education but can’t attend parents’ evenings because of shift patterns and because schools put them off attending by promoting m/c values.

Question 23

What is cultural Capital ?

Answer 23

term used to refer to knowledge, language, attitudes, values, tastes, abilities and experiences held by the middle class.

Question 24

what is cultural reproduction?

Answer 24

parents to children through the process of socialisation.

Question 25

Acc to Bourdieu how do m/c children have an advantage ?

Answer 25

the abilities, knowledge, experiences they have are highly valued and rewarded at school.

Question 26

what is economic capital?

Answer 26

material wealth

Question 27

What do Leech and Campos say?

Answer 27

Leech and Campos argue m/c parents are able to buy houses near good schools to increase the chances of their child getting a place. This is called selection by mortgage because it increases the cost of houses near successful schools.

Question 28

what is educational capital?

Answer 28

refer to educational qualifications. m/c have it and can use it to help their children with their studies/HL/CW.