Education external factors - Topic 1 Flashcards
Define external factors
factors outside the education system such as the influence at home,family background and wider society
cultural deprivation
-basic ‘cultural equipment’ includes things such as language, self discipline and reasoning skills.
-three aspects of cultural deprivation include language, parental education and working class subculture
Fernstein cultural deprivation - parents
-found that parents that use langauge that challenges children improved cognotive skills such as ‘what do you think?’ instead of simple questions
-fernstein also believes that educated parents use more praise allowing the children to build a sense of competence
speech codes Bernstein
restricted code
-typically used by the working class
-simple sentences, limited vocab, unfinished gramatically simple sentences
-context bound, assumes the listener have a shared set of experiences
speech codes Berbstein
elaborated codes
-typically used by the middle class
-wider vocab, complex gramatical sentences
-abstract ideas, context free
-bernstein recognises wc pupils fail not because of cultural dep but because schools have failed to teach them the elaborated code.
speech codes used in school
-elaborated code used in school giving middle class the an advantage due to being used by teachers, textbooks and exams
-‘correct’ way to read and write
-early socialisation puts the middle class at an advantage
parental education Douglas
-Douglas found that working class parents place less value on education, as a result they were less involved in the kids education and gave them less encouragement resulting in motivation and achievment.
working class subculture Barry sugarman
4 key features that act as a barrier to educational achievment
-fatalism: a believe in fate where nothing you can do will change your status
-collectivism: valueing being part of a group more than being an individual, middle class view that individuals should not be held back by group loyalties
-immediate gratification: seeking gratification now then making sacrifices now for greater rewards later
-present time orientation: seeing the present more important that the future, leaving them to have no long term goals
the myth of cultural deprivation
-Keddie describes cultural deprivation as a ‘myth’ and sees it as a victim blaming explanation
-she dismisses failure being due to cultural deprivation and believes there just culturally different and its the schools putting students at disadvantage due to middle class values
material deprivation
-housing: poor housing condition such as mould and overcrowding can effect a student focus and health resulting in lower educational achievment and attendance
-diet and health: howard notes that young people with poor diets can affect a students energy and overall health
-cost of education: cost of equipment and educational trips and toys can play the difference in a childs attainment and often between a MC and WC student
David bull refers to this as the “cost of free schooling”
critisicms of material deprivation
-Educational maintenance allowances (EMA) provided students with financial support, however was abolished in 2011
-free school meals help with diet, however thats only thinks about 1 meal in the day
-bursarries are available to those students elible, wether they come from a low income family, or low attainment school
fear of debt
-the cost of tuition, books and living expenses may deter working class students from persuing higher education.
-WC students are also less liekly to recieve financial support from their families at around 43% compared to MC at 81%
cultural capital - Bourdieu
-Bourdieu uses the term cultural capital refers to the knowledge, attitudes, values, language, taste and abilities of the middle class
-He sees it as capital as like wealth it gives an advantage to those who posses it
-like Bernstein he argues through socialisation MC student aquire the ability to grasp,analyse and express abstract ideas giving them an advantage
Educational and economic capital - Bourdieu
-economic capital can be converted into educational capital to meet the demands of the school and gain high educational attainment
-for example, sending children to private schools or buying/moving to houses in catchment areas of schools highly placed in league tables
