EDUCATION: Class and education - Internal factors (Streaming)

Question 1

Define streaming

Answer 1

Splitting pupils into groups based on their ability, which they stay in across all their subjects

Question 2

Define setting

Answer 2

Putting pupils into different classes according to their ability, within different subjects

Question 3

Streaming - Becker

• How does he show streaming occurs in schools
• How does this impact a childs attainment + what does this create
• What static does Douglas use to prove this?

Answer 3

STREAMING: Teachers dont see WC pupils as the ideal pupil and have low expectations for them
- Thus, they are more likely to be put into a lower stream

ATTAINMENT: Once streamed, its hard for the child to move up and progress
- creates a self fulfilling prophecy where pupils live up to teachers expectations by underachieving

DOUGLAS: Found children placed in a lower stream at age 8 had suffered a decline in their IQ score by 11

Question 4

Streaming - Gillborn and Youdel

• What study did they do
• How does this take place and how does this disadvantage the students

Answer 4

WHAT: Studied 2 secondary schools showing how teachers use stereotypical notions of ability to stream pupils

HOW: WC and black pupils seen as low ability

• These pupils are placed in lower streams and entered for lower GCSE’s
• This denies them the knowledge and opportunities to get good grades (links to league tables)
• This widens the gap in educational achievement

Question 5

How does Gillborn and Youdels study link to the use of League tables
/
How do League tables create an A-C Economy

Answer 5

• Seemingly lower attaining pupils are put into lower streams and are entered for lower exams
• This means more able students from higher streams take exams and achieve high since they have the knowledge and are living up to teachers high expectations for them
• This then means the school can maintain or boost their position in the league tables and attract funding and more pupils, leaving less able students in the background

Question 6

Define A-C Economy

Answer 6

When schools decisions become based almost entirely on their drive to achieve as many A-C passes as possible.

Question 7

Define Educational Triage

Answer 7

The process where schools sort pupils into categories and concentrate their efforts only on particular groups as a way to boost the schools exam league table

Question 8

How do schools categorise pupils in the educational triage

Answer 8

• Those who will pass anyway and can be left on their own
• Those with potential who will be helped to get above grade C
• Hopeless cases who are left and doomed to fail

Question 9

How do teachers enforce the educational triage amongst students
- What does this cause

Answer 9

• They use a stereotypical view WC and black pupils as ‘lacking ability’
• Causes these pupils to be labelled as hopeless cases, placed in lower sets and eventually a self-fulfilling prophecy and failure is fulfilled