Education (Class) - Topic 1&2 Flashcards
EXTERNAL FACTOR : Who talks about material deprivation and explain his argument?
Material deprivation - refers to the physical resources that promote or hinder educational achievements, including factors such as poor housing, low income, poor diet and limited access to educational resources.
Smith and Noble argue that working class students can’t afford materials such as calculators, textbooks, tutoring etc. Material deprivation can create a series of barriers that prevent children from lower income families from succeeding in education.
Criticism - However the government has people premium a scheme that buys equipment for students and pays for curriculum trips.
Counter - Pupil premium is for the very poor many working class don’t qualify so it only benefits a small number of families.
Who talks about speech codes and explain his arguments?
Bernstein argues that there is a difference between working class and middle class language that influences achievements. Working class typically speak in a restricted code. It has a limited vocabulary and is based on the use of short, often unfinished, grammatically simple sentences. Middle class normally speak in an elaborate code. It has a wider vocabulary and is based on longer grammatically more complex sentence.
Criticism - his study was only done on one child so his sample is very small therefore it doesn’t have lots of validity/representees.
Counter - students in the north do underachieve in English literature and language.
Who talks about immediate gratification and explain his argument?
Sugarmann believes that working class students have immediate gratification - seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in order to get rewards in the future. By contrast middle class values emphasise deferred gratification, making sacrifices now for greater rewards later. Sugarmann argues that working class parents pass on these beliefs and values to their children through primary socialisation.
Criticism - not all working class pupils have this attitude, some do achieve good grades.
Who talks about parental attitudes and explain their argument?
Douglas concluded that working class parents placed less value on education. As a result, they were less ambitious for their children, gave them less encouragement and took less interest in their education. They visited school less often and were less likely to discuss their children’s progress with teachers. As a result, their children had lower levels of motivation and achievements.
Criticism - working class parents working hours often clash with open evenings, they do care but can’t make it.
What is Wilkinson argument?
Due to working class home life students are more likely to have behavioural issues, anxiety and hyperactivity - this can lead to negative experiences in school leading to underachievement.
Who talks about cultural capital and explain his argument?
Bourdieu uses the term cultural capital to refer to the knowledge, attitudes, values, languages, tastes and ability if the middle class. He sees middle class culture as a type of capital because like wealth it gives an advantage to those who possess it. He argues that through their socialisation middle class children acquire the ability to grasp, analyse and express abstract idea. They are more likely to develop intellectual interests and an understanding of what the education system requires for success. This gives middle class children an advantage in school, where such abilities and interests are valued.
He argues that both cultural and material factors contribute to educational achievements and are not separate but interrelated. He uses the concept of capital tone paling why the middle class are more successful. The term capital usually refers to wealth.
Who talks about housing and explain his arguments?
Howard’s notes that young people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals. Poor nutrition affects health, for example by weakening the immune system and lowering children’s energy levels. This may results in more absences from school due to illness and difficulties concentrating in class. They often tend not to have basic equipment or the space needed for school.
Criticism -
. Free school meals
. People premium
. Wilkinson
. Bourdieu
Who talks about parents education and explain his argument?
Feinstein agrues that parents own educational level is the most important factor affecting children’s achievements and since middle class parents tend to have higher qualification, they are able to give their children an advantage by how they socialise them.
. Parenting style - emphasise consistent discipline and high expectation.
. Parents educational behaviours - aware of what is needed to assist
. Use of income
Who talks about university tuition fees and explain their arguments?
Forsyth and Furlong argue. That university fees are too high and working class students and families have a greater fear of dept so will choose not to go to university and will loose out on higher education and a degree can’t get access to all middle class jobs so they have no social mobility.
Criticism - government offer grants - for the really low income
Counter - not all working class can qualify for this.
INTERNAL FACTORS
Who talks about labelling and explain their arguments?
Backers argues that teachers create a label for a students based on things like behaviour appearance etc. that sometimes are not completely accurate. For example a working class student would be labelled as a bad student because they are not dressed in the uniform correctly. The teachers could assume they are going to behave badly, label them this and then see all of their actions through this label. Thus could effect the educational outcome as they could fail because of this.
Who talks about labelling study and explain the study?
Rist was looking at kindergarten classes she found that teachers used info about children’s home background and appearance to put them in separate groups and separate tables. The teacher decided that fast learners were labelled tigers and they were seated at the front. The slower learners were labelled clowns they were given lower level books and fewer chances to show their ability.
Criticism - not all students would be impacted by this, especially at kindergarten. This study was also done in America so may not be representative of Britain. It was also conducted in 1970 and parental involvement in education is much higher with bigger parental choice, so this would unlikely to be allowed to carry on.
Who talks about self fulfilling prophecy and explain their arguments?
Rosenthal and Jacobson argue that the take labelling one step further they argue that the teacher labels the pupils in a certain way and then on the basis on this label make predictions about them and the teachers treat them accordingly acting as if their prediction is true the pupil then internalises it and it starts to become the pupils master status and they gain confidence try harder and then succeed. They tested this theory - by going into a classroom and testing 30 pupils, they then told teacher there were 10 sputters in the room and told them who they were (selected at random). The teacher believed these students were gifted and when R and J came back these students were at the top of their class.
Criticism - this study is very unethical - and it was only come class - not every student that is labelled will choose to believe it.
Who talks about the differences between sets and steaming and explain their arguments?
Douglas conducted a study on streaming and found that students streamed by the age of 8 often suffered a decline in IQ if they were in lower streams. Working class students are more likely to be placed in lower streams based on Beckers theory of labelling. Students can be in different sets for different subjects - so set 1 for maths but for set 5 for English. Streaming means they are in stream 1 for all subjects. Studies show that when students streamed by the self fulfilling prophecy is more likely to occur. Once streamed it is difficult to move up and down - and in lower streams the children get the impression they are no hopers.
Who talks about A to C economy and explain it?
Youdell argues teachers look at students chances to pass and categories their students.
- those who will pass anyway can be left to their own devices.
- those who have the potential to get a C/4 who need a little help.
- hopeless cases are doomed to fail
Teachers categories based on the stereotypes. Therefore this will be working class students - this then causes the self fulfilling prophecy and they fail. This assumes that everyone will listen to their label and not try and prove it wrong.
