Education- Social Class Flashcards
Bernstein- Cultural deprivation + Language
[External]
Cultural deprivation is the idea that w/c children are disadvantaged by their culture. The language codes of w/c children are responsible for their underachievement in education. The restricted code lacks vocabulary and no grammatical accuracy (real world ideas) Elaborated code has a wide vocabulary and grammatical accuracy. Abstract ideas.
For example, children are tested on their ability to communicate with formal written+spoken English. As w/c children have a restricted code they might struggle. This may cause them to feel that the school+teachers do not respect them. This may lead to a low self esteem +self fulfilling proficiency which causes them to fail in education.
Troy a and Williams claim that it is not the language of the working classs students that is the problem. They argue that teachers have “speech hierarchies” that favour M/C speech
Douglas- Intellectual development
[External]
-Claims w/c children are more likely to lack the knowledge+skill to succeed. Parents are more likely to be in occupations that do not need qualifications therefore less value attactched to education int he home.. parents may be unable to help with homework + parents are less willing to attend parent evenings.
E.G Waldfogel + Washbrook found that the parenting style +overall home environment of low income households was shown to have a significant impact ont he ability of children to process information in school including a noticeable difference in how students scored in vocabulary tests. This shows that w/c lack knowledge from their parents.
There are surestart centres that provide compensatory education such as teaching early literacy. Numeracy + play to combat the effects of cultural deprivation.
Sugarman- Attitudes and values
[External]
-Claimed there was a w/c subculture, with attitudes + values that lead to w/c children underachieving in school.
For example, the w/c attitude of fatalism during the COVID lockdown would be that they will fail school because the lockdown has made them stop school.
Marxists such as Keddie argues this is victim blaming and that we should be blaming the schools for not respecting w/c culture.
Material deprivation
[External]
Material deprivation means a lack of money + resources require dot have the best chance of succeeding in education. W/c parents are more likely to be unable to afford the extras that help succeed in school.
For example, W/C families often have overcrowded housing means children may struggle to concentrate and do homework. This means they struggle to succeed in school.
Some people argue that there are a number of schemes in place to help students who suffer from material deprivation: homework clubs.
Bourdieu- 3 types of capital
[External]
Argues the education system is an agent of social control. He claimed m/c people have educational )parents have qualifications), economic (extra tutoring) and cultural (educational trips) capital. This helps succeed in school.
For example, Cultural capital means m/c students are able to see the things they are learning about meaning they may understand the content better. This shows that the m/c have an advantage.
This theory is criticised for being deterministic as it ignores social mobility.
The self-fulfilling prophecy in schools.
[Internal]
It has 3 steps
- Teachers label a pupil and make predictions on how they will do.
- Teacher treats that pupil differently. Student becomes aware.
- Pupil internalises teachers expectations. Effects confidence and self esteem becomes the kind of pupil teacher expected.
For example, pupils were separated into different ability groups. Teachers alter their teaching style and content to fit with their expectations of pupils. May lead to students in lower group feeling like they aren’t;t doing well in school and therefore lose faith in school.
Criticised for being deterministic. Children may want to prove the teacher wrong and therefore do the opposite of what the teacher expected.
Lacey- responses to streaming
[Internal].
Observed the process of streaming according to ability led to the polarisation of students into 2 sets of peer groups. Boys tend to form pro school or anti school subcultures with norms and values that are in oppositions to those of the schools w/c boys more likely to be placed in lower streams due to factors including cultural and material deprivation.
People in pro school SC are usually high stream+M/C where as people in anti school SC are in low streams. This means pro school are more likely to succeed because they are made to feel like they will do well unlike members of anti school SC
This is criticised because functionalists believe school subcultures allow w/c students to achieve a sense of collectivism + alternative status when blocked from academic success.
Habitus + “Symbolic violence”
[Internal]
-Habitus means learned ways of thinking+acting shared by class. Archer argued that m/c habitus is valued by schools so they gain “symbolic capital” w/c habitus is often in conflict with schools expectations. This means w/c students feel alienated archer calls this symbolic violence because w.c student feel they must choose between being themselves or succeeding in education.
For example, dress codes in schools can lead to students being punished. This means if working class families can;t afford the correct uniform the students may be told they can’t be in schools. This leads to students missing contend which may cause them to fail.
Functionalists argue that m/c habitus should be universal as it is these standards of behaviour that socialise children effectively. They argue with high expectations + discipline, w/c students have the best chance at social mobility.
Howard Becker- labelling theory- the ideal pupil
*Held unstructured interviews with teachers adn found that they judged pupils depending on how close they were to their idea of an ‘ideal pupil’
*Key factors were pupils work, appearance and conduct
Middle class kids were seen as much closer so judged more favourably
*Teachers were more likely to feel like working class underachievement was what is expected, so they accepted it.
Prevents mc pupils being held back by teachers having to spend longer explaining to schools pupils however holds back schools people by not giving as many opportunities
Ray Rist- labelling theory (Tigers and clowns)
*Observed lessons in primary schools and found teachers sometimes used information about childrens home background and appearance to place them in different groups.
*Tigers- fast learners with neat/clean appearances, placed nearest to her and showed encouragement. Tend to be mc.
*Clowns- slower learners with less neat appearances, lower level books to read, fewer opportunities to demonstrate ability.
AO2
Labelling students can make them feel disconnected from teachers and worse about themselves do they dont try as hard.
AO3
Some claim this isn’t always bad, kids can be taught at levels right for them once labelled.
