Education- Class differences in achievement (external factors) Flashcards
What is an external factor?
factors outside the education system, such as the influence of home and family background.
Give one key statistic on education achievement.
Middle class pupils are more likely to gain 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE than Working class pupils. They are more likely to stay in full time education and take the great majority of university places.
What is meant by cultural deprivation?
having inferior norms and values, skills and knowledge needed for educational success through primary socialisation in the family.
Why would cultural deprivation theorists say WC pupils are culturally deprived?
Many WC families fail to socialise their children adequately, so they grow up socially deprived, as they lack the cultural equipment needed to do well in school, so they underachieve.
What are the 3 main aspects of cultural deprivation?
Language, Parents’ education and Working class subcultures.
How does language affect children’s achievement?
The way parents communicate with their children affects their cognitive development and their ability to benefit from the process of education.
Hubbs-Tait et al found where parents use language that challenges their child to evaluate their own understanding, e.g. what do you think?, cognitive performance improves.
Less educated parents’ language is deficient as they use gestures and single words and their children grow up incapable of abstract thinking.
What did Bernstein find as the restricted speech codes and which group use it and how does it impact their achievement?
- often used by the WC
- limited vocabulary- short descriptive, unfinished, and simple sentences.
- predictable speech- involve single words and gestures.
- context-bound - speaker assumes listener shares the same experiences.
WC pupil more likely to underachieve as its the elaborated speech code used by teachers, books and exams meaning they’ll lack understanding and more likely to fail feeling more excluded.
What did Bernstein find as the elaborated speech codes and which group use it and how does it impact their achievement?
• used by the MC
• wider vocabulary- longer grammatically complex sentences
• more varied speech- express abstract ideas
• context-free- speaker doesn’t assume listener has same experiences
This code is used by teachers, books and exams putting MC at an advantage so feel more at home at school due to early socialisation are fluent users of the speech code and are therefore more likely to succeed. This code is an effective tool for analysing and expressing thoughts essential skills in education.
How does parents’ education affect children’s achievement?
- Douglas argued that WC parents place less value on education, making them less ambitious for their child, give less encouragement.
- visit school less often less likely to discuss their child’s progress with teacher
- the children have lower levels of motivation and achievement.
*Feinstein states mc parents are better educated and socialise their children differently.
How does parenting style impact achievement?
educated parents- emphasises consistent discipline and high expectations of their child, supporting achievement by encouraging active learning and exploration.
less educated parents- harsh or inconsistent discipline and emphasises doing as you’re told. prevents the child from learning independence and self-control, leading to poorer motivations at school and problems interacting with teachers.
How does parents’ educational behaviours impact achievement?
Educated parents know what they’re child needs to assist their education progress and are more likely to engage in behaviours such as reading to them, teaching them letters and numbers, painting and drawing and helping with homework and being involved with in their schooling.
get expert advice on childrearing, establish good relationships with teachers. also recognise the educational value of visiting museums and libraries.
How does parents’ use of income impact achievement?
Educated parents tend to have higher income. They also spend their income in ways that promotes their child’s educational success. e.g. MC mothers are more likely to buy educational books and toys that encourage reasoning skills and stimulate intellectual development.
Criticisms of language
- Williams et al argue the problem is the school’s attitudes towards language. schools have a speech hierarchy valuing mc speech the highest.
- Labov studied boys who used the restricted coder and found they could still think analytically, elaborated code can result in arguments being lost due to irrelevant detail.
How does working-class subcultures affect education?
Sugarman argues that the working class have a different culture, goals, beliefs and attitudes to the middle class which is why their children fail at school.
What does the WC belief of fatalism mean? How does this contrast to the MC?
a belief in fate, there is nothing you can do to change your status.
contrasts with MC values that you can change your positions through your own efforts.
