Education External Factors

Question 1

External factors

Answer 1

Theses are factors outside the educational system. Such as the influence of home and family background and wider society.

Question 2

Cultural deprivation

Answer 2

Theories that suggest that the working class children lack the necessary economic capital and view, attitudes and support that are needed to succeed within education. As the middle class are a dominate social group.

Question 3

Language code - Bernstein
Working class

Answer 3

Working class: the restricted code, short , often unfinished, grammatically simple sentences. Unpredictable and may involve only a single word.
Context bound: speaker assumes the listener shares the same experiences. Limited vocabulary

Question 4

Language codes - Bernstein
Middle class

Answer 4

Middle class: the elaborated code typically used by the middle class. Wider vocabulary and more grammatically complex, more varied, abstract ideas, universal
Context free: speaker assumes they share the same experiences

Question 5

How do different language codes lead to success or failure in education

Answer 5

• as formal education is carried out in elaborated codes, this means that those who use the restrictive codes are at a disadvantage e.g language of exams
• Bernstein believed the elaborated code to be superior to the restricted as it allows individuals to deal with higher learnt concepts.
• middle class socialised into the elaborated code at an early age so they are fluent when they arrive at school

Question 6

Evaluations of language codes

Answer 6

• victim blaming exercise
• schools are able to accommodate all kinds of language codes
• students can switch between both codes when necessary an advantage as they can understand everyone
• there’s no expectation that all children can speak the elaborated code

Question 7

Parents education in working class families

Answer 7

Cultural deprivation theorists argue that parents attitudes to education are a key factor effecting children’s achievement. E.g Douglas study in 1964 Fond that working class parents places 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 which led to children having lower levels of motivation and achievement

Question 8

Parents education in middle class families

Answer 8

Leon Feinstein (2008) argues that parents own education is the most important factor affecting children’s achievement and, since middle class parents tend to be better educated, they are also able to give their children the advantage by how to socialise them. Educated parents are more aware of what is needed to assist educational progress. More successful in establishing good relationships with teachers and recognise the educational value of activities like Museums

Question 9

Parenting style middle class

Answer 9

Educated parents parenting style emphasises consistent discipline and high expectations of their children, and this supports achievement by encouraging active learning and exploration.

Question 10

Parenting style in working class family

Answer 10

Less educated parents parenting style is marked by harsh or inconsistent discipline that emphasises ‘doing as you’re told’ or ‘behaving yourself ‘. This prevents the child from learning independence and self control, leading to poorer motivating at school and problems interacting with teachers.

Question 11

Use of income on middle class family’s

Answer 11

Better education parents tend to have higher incomes and they also spend their income in ways that promote their children’s educational success e.g Bersten and Young (1967) found that middle class mothers are more likely to buy educational toys, books and activities. This encourages reading skills and stimulate intellectual development. They also have a better understanding of nutrition and it’s importance on child development and with a higher income they can buy more nutritious food.

Question 12

Use of income in working class families

Answer 12

Working class homes are more likely to lack these recourses such as educational book and this means children from such homes start school without the intellectual skills needed to progress.

Question 13

Class, income and parental education

Answer 13

Feinstein notes that parental education has an influence on children’s achievement in its own right, regardless of class or income. Even within a given social class, better educated parents tend to have children who are more successful at school.

Question 14

What is working class subculture?

Answer 14

Cultural deprivation theorists argue that lack of parental interest in their education reflects the subcultural values of working class. A subculture is a groups whose attitudes and values differ from those of mainstream culture

Question 15

Barry sugarman 1970 view on working class subculture

Answer 15

He argues that working class subculture has four key features that act as a barrier to educational achievement.

Question 16

Barry sugarman four key features that act as barriers to to educational achievement

Answer 16

1. Fatalism - the belief in fate and ‘whatever will be will be’ and there is nothing you can do to change your status. This contrast with middle class views where they emphasises that you can change your position through your own efforts
2. Collectivism - valuing being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual. Whereas middle class view that an individual should not be held back by group loyalists
3. 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.
4. Present time orientation- seeing the present as more important than in the future and so not having long term goals or plans. By contrast, middle class culture has a future time orientation that sees planning for the future important.

Question 17

Working class children in subculture

Answer 17

Working class children internalise the beliefs and values of their subculture through the socialisation process and this results in the, underachieving at school.

Question 18

But why do these values exist?

Answer 18

Sugarman argues that they stem from the fact that middle class jobs are secure careers offering prospects for continuous individual advancement. This encourages ambition, long term planning and willingness to invest time and effort into aging qualifications. By contrast, working class jobs are less secure and have no career structure through which individuals can advance. There are few promotions opportunities and earnings peak at an early age

Question 19

Cultural deprivation theorists view on working class subculture

Answer 19

Cultural deprivation theorists argue that parents pass on the values of their class to their children through primary socialisation. Middle class values equips children for success whereas working class values fail to do so.

Question 20

What is compensatory education?

Answer 20

A program which aims to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation - by providing extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas. They intervene early I. The socialisation process to compensate children for deprivation they experience at home.

Question 21

Example of compensatory education

Answer 21

Best known example is operation head start in the United sates - a mutual billion dollar scheme of pre school education in poorer areas introduced in the 1960s. Aim was ‘planned enrichment’ of the deprived child’s environment to develop skills and install achievement motivation.

Question 22

The myth of cultural deprivation - NELL KEDDIE (1973)

Answer 22

Describes cultural deprivation as a ‘myth’ and sees it as a victim blaming explanation. She dismisses the idea that failure at School can be blamed on a culturally deprived home background. She points out that a child cannot be deprived of its own culture and argues that working class children are simply culturally different, not deprived and they fail because they are but at a disadvantage by ran education system that is dominated by middle class values.
Keddie argues that rather than seeing the working class culture as deficient, schools should recognise and build on its strengths and should challenge teachers anti Woking class prejudice

Question 23

The myth of cultural deprivation - Troyna and Jenny Williams (1986)

Answer 23

Argue that the problem is not the child’s language but the schools attitudes towards it. Teachers have a ‘speech hierarchy’: they label middle class speech highest, followed by working class speech and finally black speech

Question 24

The myth of cultural deprivation deprivation- TESSA BLACKSTONE AND JO MORTIMORE (1994)

Answer 24

Other critics reject the view that working class parents are not interested in their children’s education. According to Blackstone and mortimore, they attend fewer parents evenings, not because lack of interest, but because they work longer or less regular hours or are put off by the schools middle class atmosphere.

Question 25

What is material deprivation?

Answer 25

Unlike cultural deprivation theorists, who blame educational failure on the inadequacy of working class subculture, many other sociologists see material deprivation as the main cause of underachievement. The term ‘material deprivation’ refers to poverty and a lack of material necessities such as adequate housing and income.

Question 26

Poverty and social class

Answer 26

There is a close link between poverty and social class. Working class families are much more likely to have low incomes or inadequate housing. Factors such as those can affect their children’s education in several ways

Question 27

How is poverty linked closely to the educational underachieving.

Answer 27

For example, according to the department for education (2012, barley a third of pupils eligible for free school meals achieve five or more GCSEs a a* to c including English and maths, as against nearly two thirds of other pupils. (FSM - a widely use measure of child poverty)
Nearly 90% of ‘failing’ schools are located in deprived areas.

Question 28

Housing

Answer 28

• poor housing can affect pupils achievement both directly and indirectly. E.g overcrowding can have a direct effect by making it harder for the child to study. This also means less space for educational activities, nowhere to do homework, disturbed sleep from sharing beds or bedrooms.
• for young children especially, development can be impaired through lack of space and safe place and exportation. Families living in temporary accommodation may find the,selves having to move more frequently, resulting in constant changes of schools and disturbed education
• can also have indirect effects, notably on the child’s health and welfare. Such as children in a crowed homes run a greater risk of accidents. Families in temporary accommodation suffer more psychological distress, infections and accidents. Such health problems mean more absences from school.

Question 29

Diet and health

Answer 29

MARILYN HOWARD(2001) - notes that young people from poorer homes have lower intake of energy, Vitamins and minerals.
Children from poorer homes are also more likely to have emotional or behavioural problems according to RICHARD WITLES (1996). Among ten year olds the lower social class, the higher rate of hyper activity, anxiety and disorders, all of which are likely to have a negative effect on child’s education
Poor nutrition affects health, e.g by weakening the immune system and lowering children’s energy levels - may result in more absences from School due to illness and difficulties concentrating in class.
JO BLANDEN AND STEPHAN MACHIN (2007) - found that children from low income families were much more likely to engage in ‘externalising’ behaviour such as fighting and temper tantrums, which are likely to disrupt schooling.

Question 30

Financial support and the cost of education

Answer 30

Lack of financial support means that children from poor families have to do without equipment and miss out in experiences that would enhance their educational achievement. David bull (1980) refers to this as ‘the cost of free schooling’ . A study in the Oxford area by Emily tanner et al (2003) found that the costs if items such as transport, uniforms, books , computers, calculators and sports, music and art equipments, places a very heavy burden on poor families.
As a result, poor children may have to make do with hand me downs and cheaper but unfashionable equipment, and thus may result in being isolated, stigmatised or bullied by peers. Yet for many children, suitable clothes are Essen for self esteem and ‘fitting in’
According to flaherty, fear of stigmatisation may also help to explain why 20% of those eligible for free school meals do not take up their entitlement
Lack of funds also means that children from low income families often need to work, ridge found that children in poverty take on jobs such as babysitting, cleaning and paper rounds, and that thus often had a negative impact on their schoolwork

Question 31

Fear of debt

Answer 31

Going to university usually involves getting into debt to cover the cost of tuition fees, books and living expenses. Attitudes towards debt may deter working class students from going to uni. Financial factors also restrict working class students choice on uni and the chances of success. Diane ready (2005) found that working class students were more likely to apply to local unis so that they could live at how and save on travel cost, but that gave them a less opportunity to go to the highest status uni.

Question 32

What is cultural capital?

Answer 32

Having the skills, knowledge, norms and values which can be used to get ahead in education and life more generally

Question 33

Social capital

Answer 33

Possession of social contacts that can ‘open doors’

Question 34

Pierre Bourdieu

Answer 34

Pierre bourdieu (1984) argues that both cultural and material factors contribute to educational achievement and are not separate butt interrelated. He uses the concept of ‘capital’ to explain why the middle class are more successful

Question 35

The term capital

Answer 35

The term capital usually refers to wealth but in addition to this economic capital, Bourdieu identifies two further types. There’s are ‘educational capital’ or qualifications, and ‘cultural capital’. He argues that the middle class generally possess more of all there types of capital

Question 36

Cultural capital

Answer 36

Bourdieu uses the term cultural capital to refer to the knowledge, attitudes, values, language, tagest and abilities of the middle class. He sees the middle class culture as a type of capital, like wealth, it gives an advantage to those who possess it.
Like Bernstein, he argues that through their socialisation, middle class children acquire the ability to grasp, analyse 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 highly valued and rewarded with qualifications. This is because the education system is not neutral, but favours the transmits the dominant middle class culture.

Question 37

Cultural capital and the working class

Answer 37

Working class children find that school devalues their culture as ‘rough’ and inferior. Their lack of cultural capital leads to exam failure. Many working class pupils also ‘get the message’ that education is not meant for them and respond by truanting, early leaving or just not trying

Question 38

Educational and economic capital

Answer 38

Bourdieu argues that education, economic and cultural capital can be converted into one another.
Leg middle class children with cultural capital are better equipped to meet the demands of the school curriculum and gain qualifications. Similarly, wealthier parents can convert their economic capital into educational capital by sending their children to private schools and paying for extra tuition. As Dennis leech and Erick campos (20.3) study of Coventry shows, middle class parents are also more likely to afford a house in the catchment area of a school that is highly dependent placed in the exam league tables. This has become known as ‘selection by mortgage’ because it drives up the costs of houses near to successful schools and excludes working class families.

Question 39

A test of Bourdieu ideas

Answer 39

Alice Sullivan (2001) used questionnaires to conduct a survey of 465 pupils in four schools. To assess their cultural capital, she asked them about a range of activities, such as reading and to habbits, and weathe they visited art galleries, museums and Theaters. She also tested their vocab and knowledge of cultural figures.
She found that those who read complex fiction and watched serious to documentaries developed a wider vocabulary and greater cultural knowledge, indicating greater cultural capital. The pupils with the greater cultural capital were the children of graustes. These pupils were more likely to be successful at GCSE