Educational Achievement - 3.2 (Class Differences) Flashcards
What are External Influences on Educational Achievement?
> Material Deprivation
> Cultural Factors
What is Cultural Deprivation?
Being deprived of cultural values facilitating educational success.
3 Main Aspects of Cultural Deprivation
- Language
- Parents Education
- WC Subculture
What is Basic Cultural Equipment?
Incl. language, self-discipline and reasoning skills.
What did the Centre for Educational Studies find on the difference between MC and WC
Found by age of 3 kids from WC were 1yr behind those from MC.
Cultural Deprivation Theorists
Cultural Deprivation:
> Centre for Educational Studies (WC lack behind and MC)
Language:
> Feinstein & Tait (Language Diff vs Educated & Non Educated Parents)
> Bernstein (Elab vs Restricted Code)
Parents Education:
> Douglas (Lack of WC Parent Interest)
> Feinstein (Parenting Styles/Education)
Use of Income:
> Bernstein and Young (MC Mums buy Educational Resources 4 Kids)
Subcultures:
> Sugarman (Fatalism, Collectivism etc and Security of MC Jobs)
> Hyman (Self-Imposed Barriers)
What is Tait and Feinstein’s view on Language affecting Educational Achievement? (Differences between Educated and Uneducated Parents)
- Educated parents more likely to use language challenging their kids to evaluate their own understanding. Results in higher performance
- Less educated use language in ways requiring kids to make only simple statements. Results in lower performance.
- Feinstein found educated parents more likely to use praises, helps kids be more confident.
Bernstein’s view on Language affecting Educational Achievement (Difference between WC and MC)
- WC more likely to use:
Restricted Code: Limited vocab, short, unfinished, simple sentences, context-bound. (Assume listener shares same experience) - MC are more likely to use:
Elaborated Code: Wider vocab, longer, abstract ideas, context-free (Assume listener doesn’t shares same experience) - MC can switch codes, WC limited to restricted code.
- MC students at advantage as teachers, textbooks use elaborate code
Criticisms of Bernstein’s
Actually, schools who fail to teach elaborated code
What was Douglas’s view on Parental Education?
- WC parents placed less value on education, so kids were less ambitious, getting less encouragement, so took less interest
- WC Parents unikely to go and discuss child’s progress with teachers and as result WC had low achievement.
What was Feinstein view on Parental Education and Parents Education?
- Parents’ Education/Parenting Styles are very vital
- More educated they are, better position they’re in for socializing kids.
- Encouraging active learning and exploration.
- Parenting of WC involves harsh, inconsistent discipline focused on behaving yourself, so problems interacting with teachers.
What was Bernstein and Young view on Use of Income?
> MC mums more likely to buy educational, toys, books etc.
> Encourage reasoning and stimulate intellectual development
> WC parents unable to afford this (only have money for necessities) thus, WC are behind peers.
What were the 4 Values outlined in Sugarman’s view of the WC subculture in relation to Education?
- Fatalism: Belief ur status is fixed and can’t be changed
- Collectivism: Value being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual, opposite for MC.
- Immediate Gratification: Want to get pleasure straight away, without making sacrifices. - MC have delayed gratification, make sacrifices now have pleasure later.
- Present Time-Orientation: Seeing present more important than future not having long-term goals.
What does Sugarman link the differences between MC values and WC values are down to?
He also links this to security of MC Jobs, having room for progression and ambition, instilling this into children.
Explain Hyman’s Theory of Self-Imposed Barriers in relation to WC Subcultures
> WC create barriers and have limited care for education
> As WC parents had negative experience in skl.
> Which is passed on to child, thus WC continue to fail in education.
A03 Criticisms of Cultural Deprivation in Achievement
> Keddie (Sugarman)
Troyna and Williams (Any Language Theorist)
Blackstone & Mortimore (Douglas)
How does Keddie criticise Sugarman’s view?
- WC different culturally, but not deprived.
- Rather than seeing WC subculture as deficient, schools should challenge teachers WC prejudices.
Explain how Troyna & Williams criticise any Language Theorist?
- Problem not WC language but skl’s attitudes towards it.
- Teachers have speech hierarchy, favouring MC speech, then WC speech than Black speech.
Explain how Blackstone and Martimore criticise Douglas
WC parents don’t miss Parents Evening voluntarily, but busy at work so don’t have time and put off by MC atmosphere.
Define Compensatory Education
> Introduced to tackle cultural deprivation giving resources to schools and communities in deprived areas.
> Come in early at socialisation process to compensate kids for deprivation faced at home
What is an example of Compensatory Education in the US?
> Operation Head Start in the US, where pre-school education was introduced to develop skills and motivations of deprived kids.
> Incl. setting up Nursery Classes and home visits by educational psychologists.
Example of TV show used for Compensatory Education as part of what program and what did this provide?
Sesame Street was set up as a part of HeadStart, providing a way to transmit skills needed for Educational Success.
What are the 3 examples of Compensatory Education in the UK?
Education Priority Areas and Education Action Zones and Sure Start.
Define Material Deprivation
Poverty + lack of material necessities which aid educational achievement.
What were DOFE findings in 2012 on FSM students?
found barely ⅓ of FSM pupils get 5+ GCSES incl. (Engl and Maths)
Flaherty
Money problems are a significant factor in younger children’s non-attendance in school.
Which type of family is exclusion and truancy common in?
poorer families
What % of failing schools are in poor areas
90%
Material Deprivation Theorists
Material Deprivation
> DOFE 2012 (Impact of FSM)
> Flaherty (Money Problems)
Diet and Health
> Howard (Effects of Poor Diet)
> Wilkinson (WC more prone to Behaviour Issues)
> Blanden and Machin (WC more likely to be in fights)
Cost of Education > Bull (Cost of Free-Schooling) > Tanner (Cost of Equipment) > Flaherty (FSM Stigmitisation) > Smith & Noble (Can’t afford Private Tution etc) > Ridge (WC Part-Time Work)
Fear of Debt
> Calender and Jackson (WC more debt-averse)
> Reay (WC limited Uni choices)
> National Audit Office (Debt)
How does Poor Housing affect Educational Achievement in relation to Overcrowding
- Overcrowding makes it harder to study, no room to do h/w, disturbed sleep from sharing bedrooms etc.
How does Poor Housing affect Educational Achievement in relation to Young Kids development
- Development of young children can be impaired, though lack of space for safe play/exploration.
How does Poor Housing affect Educational Achievement in relation to Children’s Health?
Children in crowded homes have more accidents and cold/damp housing means ill-health, thus meaning more absence from school.
How do children living in a B and B affect their education?
frequently move meaning constant changes of school and disrupted education.
Explain Howard findings on how Poor Diet affects WC achievement?
Kids from WC have poorer diets and nutrition, leads to lack of energy and concentration + higher absence rates.
Explain Wilkinson findings on how Poor Mental Health affects WC achievement?
- Kids from WC more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems.
- For 10 yr olds, lower the class, higher rate of hyperactivity, anxiety, conduct disorders, impacting their education.
Explain Blanden & Machin findings on how Anger problems affects WC achievement?
- Found WC kids were more likely have fights and temper issues, disrupting their schooling.
What was Bull’s view on Cost of Education, affecting Educational Achievement?
Refers to ‘cost of free schooling’, children from WC don’t have equipment missing out on experiences, bettering their achievement.
How does Emily Tanner support Bull’s findings?
- Tanner found cost of items e.g. Transport, Books, Uniforms, Computers, Calculators, and Sports Equipment put burden on WC.
- So have to use hand me downs, leading to bullying from peers.
Explain Flaherty’s findings on Stigimisation of FSM?
- Stigma for FSM prevents some from taking up entitlements.
What was Smith & Noble’s view on Cost of Education, affecting Educational Achievement?
- WC pupils cannot afford private tuition or schools, so do less well than MC.
What was Ridge’s view on Cost of Education, affecting Educational Achievement?
- WC may need to work whilst at school, to help family, so have less time to study.
How is Fear of Debt a factor affecting whether WC are likely to go Uni?
- Going Uni, may mean debt to cover tuition fees of 9K a year, books, and living expenses, so deter WC kids.
What were Calendar and Jackson’s findings on why WC kids were put off from going Uni?
- WC kids more debt-averse.
- Saw more cons > pros in going uni
- So 5x less likely to apply for Uni than MC.
What were Reay’s findings on WC uni choices?
- WC kids more likely to go local uni’s.
- To stay home and save money, so less chance to go Oxbridge.
- Also carrying out part time work to fund studies
- So can’t get higher class degrees.
Explain National Audit Office’s findings on the impact of debt for WC compared to MC?
- WC spent 2x time in paid work than MC to reduce debts.
How may Material Deprivation theorist be too deterministic?
Can still be successful even if you’re materially deprived.
How can Howard’s view that WC have poor diets be criticised?
Think in relation to events today?
> Due to Marcus Rashford campaign, FSM programme continued through lockdown.
> Many schools provide Free Breakfast and After-School Clubs
How may the factor that WC kids can’t afford cost of free-schooling be criticised?
How is COVID applicable to this?
> Through the COVID 19 pandemic, many schools provided children with laptops.
> Now offer facilities such as computers outside of normal school time so children can catch-up
> SureStart programs provide pre-school and nursery places in poorer districts
Cultural Capital Sociologists
> Bourdieu (3 Types of Capital)
Leech and Campos (Selection by Mortgage) (Economic and Educational Capital)
Sullivan (Cultural Capital and Success at GCSE)
Who outlined the 3 Types of Capital?
Bourdieu
What are the 3 Types of Capital Bourdieu outlined?
> Economic Capital - Wealth
> Educational Capital - Qualifications
> Cultural Capital: Knowledge, attitudes, values, language, taste, and abilities of MC.
How do Leech & Campos believe Educational and Economic Capital are linked together, through their theory of selection by mortgage?
> Linked together, Leech and Campos state, theory of ‘selection by mortgage’’
> Good schools drive up cost of houses around them.
> MC can afford house in catchment area of a good school, WC can’t
> Thus WC are stuck near underperforming schools.
How does Cultural Capital benefit the MC classes in School
> MC kids have ability to analyze and develop intellectual interests and understanding of what’s needed in to succeed gives MC advantage in school
> These skills are high valued, as education favours MC culture.
What were Sullivan’s Findings on Culutral Capital and Success at GCSE?
> Those who read complex fiction, watched serious documentaries, gained greater vocab and knowledge, leading to cultural capital.
> These kids were more likely to succeed at GCSE.
What did Sullivan believe Culutral Capital only accounted for part of the differences in achievement??
> But this only accounted for part of class differences, as kids could have = cultural capital, but MC students still did better.
> Believed greater resources of MC, explain gap in achievement.
Define Labelling
process of defining a group or person positively or negatively, based on perceived characteristics.
Outline all Labelling Theorists and what they advocate?
> Becker (Ideal Pupil)
Rist (Primary School Tables)
Dunne and Glazeley (Labelling in Secondary Schools)
Jacobson and Rosenthal (IQ Test)
Explain Becker’s Idea of the Ideal Pupil
> Teachers form opinion of pupil based on how close pupils fit ideal pupil.
> Pupils from MC were viewed as closest to the ideal & WC furthest as they were seen as badly behaved.
> These labels can lead to SFP
Explain the differences in outlook towards WC and MC underachievement by teachers in Dunne and Glazely Study of Labelling in Secondary Schools
> Schools produced WC underachievement due to labels they were given
> Normalised’ and unconcerned about under achievement of WC
> But believed they could overcome under achievement of MC.
Explain the differences in views of MC/WC Parents and in how teachers helped pupils from different classes in Dunne and Glazely Study of Labelling in Secondary Schools
> Saw WC uninterested in education and MC as supportive e.g. attending parents evenings etc.
> Lead to differences in how they helped MC setting them extension work but entered WC pupils for foundation exams.
> Underestimated WC kids potential - those who did well were seen as overachieving.
Explain Rist Study of Labelling within Primary Schools
> Teacher used home background to group kids.
> Those teachers saw as clever and treated better were called tigers, seen as neat, MC & clean appearance
> Slow learners, labelled as ‘clowns’ and WC sat further away and neglected.
Rosenthal and Jacobson Findings on SFP in their IQ Test study used to investigate teacher labelling?
> IQ Test given to students. Random 20% of kids identified as (bloomers) to teachers
> Went back a year later, finding kids labelled as bloomers made more progress then others.
Explain how Fuller sees the idea of teacher Labelling as too deterministic in relation to criticisms of Labelling Theory?
- Black girls she studied were labelled as low achievers.
- Their aim was to knuckle down and study hard to prove their teachers wrong, despite what they said.
Explain Structuralist views on the Role of Schools in Labelling in relation to criticisms of Labelling Theory?
Focus on teachers too much, structuralists would say Schools encourage teachers to label students e.g. teacher training.
Explain Marxists views on Labelling in relation to criticisms of Labelling Theory?
Marxist say labels not always result of teachers individual prejudices but stem from fact teachers work in a system, reproducing class divisions.
Outline the Impact of Setting and Streaming Theorists Setting and what they advocate?
> Douglas (Students IQ)
> Gilbourn and Youdell (A-C Economy)
Define Setting
Placing kids in groups based on ability in individual subjects.
Define Streaming
Placing kids in groups based on overall ability in all
subjects.
What process is likely to occur when students are streamed?
SFP likely to occur when kids are streamed.
What is the negative consequence of Streaming?
When streamed it’s hard to move up, entered for lower tiers, students internalize message they’re ‘no-hopers’ not having potential do well.
Explain Dogulas’s Study on the Impact of Setting and Streaming?
Kids placed in lower stream at 8 suffered decline in IQ score by age 11, opposite for children in top streams.
Explain Gilbourn and Youdell’s idea of the A-C Economy?
> Link streaming to publishing league tables.
> Creating an ‘A-C economy in schools’ - schools focus time, and resources on kids they see as having potential to get 5 C’s to boost position on league table.
Explain what process do Schools use to assess which students are most likely to get them C’s and what occurs in this?
- Educational Triage
> Those who’ll pass anyway - left to get on with it
Those with potential - targeted intervention to help get C.
Hopeless cases - No chance of passing - doomed to fail.
Who do Teachers have a stereotypical view of in the Educational Triage?
Teachers have a stereotypical view of WC kids and black as lacking ability - likely to be labelled as hopeless cases.
Explain the Criticisms of Sociologists view on Streaming
Allows higher ability kids to be challenged and lower ability students to be supported, so can lead to higher achievement
Outline the Development of Subculture Theorists and what they advocate?
> Lacey (Differentiation and Polarisation) > Hargreaves (ASS) > Ball (Abolishing Streaming) > Woods (4 responses) > Furlong (Not fully in 1 response)
When do Subcultures emerge?
> Emerge as response to way pupils been labelled and as reaction to streaming
Explain Differentiation in relation to Lacey’s Explanation for the development of Pupil Subcultures?
- Where teachers group kids, based on ability, attitude, and behaviour.
- Streaming is form of differentiation, as it categorizes pupils into different classes.
Explain Polarisation in relation to Lacey’s Explanation for the development of Pupil Subcultures?
- Where kids respond to streaming by moving to PSS or an ASS.
Define PSS
- Usually by pupils in higher streams
- Committed to school’s values of hard work, respect for authority etc.
- Gain approval/status from academic success
Define ASS
- Usually by pupils in lower streams
- Reject school values e.g. truanting, disruption, not doing homework etc.
Why do Pupils in Low Streams Join ASS?
> As skl deprives them of status, labelling them as failures.
> So create own status hierarchy, gaining status from peers, rebel vs values of skl
Explain the Impact of Subcultures?
> Often lead to SFP.
Those in PSS work hard so succeed
Those in ASS faff about and fail.
Explain Hargreaves Study in relation to ASS?
> Boys in secondary who’d failed 11+ exams was put in low-streams, and labelled worthless by skl.
> In response formed ASS to get high status, going against skl rules.
> Forming delinquent subculture, guaranteeing their academic failure.
Explain Ball’s Study on the Impact of Abolishing Streaming
> When skl abolished streaming, polarisation and ASS’s declined.
> But differentiation remained as teachers continued to categorise pupils
> Likely to label MC as cooperative and able.
> Positive labelling resulted in better exam results where SFP happened.
Woods found that students didn’t always join ASS or PSS, but there were 4 other responses, what were these?
- Ingratiation – Pupils who’re eager to please teachers, having favourable attitude towards skl. (Teacher’s Pet)
- Ritualism - Going through motions, (don’t take an interest) staying out of trouble.
- Retreatism - Faff about and daydream in class but not challenging authority of school.
- Rebellion - Troublemakers, firmly reject everything school stands for - challenging authority.
What was Furlong’s view on the 4 responses?
Kids may not be fully in 1 response, moving between them acting differently w/ different lessons and teachers.
Outline Class Identity Theorists and what they outline?
> Bourdieu (Habitus)
Archer (Nike Identities)
Ingram (Catholics Boys)
Evans (WC Girls - Self Exclusion for Success)
Define Habitus
> Learned ways of thinking, being or acting shared by particular social class
> Incl. tastes, outlook on life, expectations and what’s normal or realistic for people ‘like us’
Explain how the Education System works in favour of MC habitus compared to WC habitus?
MC have power to impose their habitus on the education system, system so skl holds MC values, placing higher value on their tastes and preferences, see WC habitus as inferior.
Define Symbolic Capital
Those who’ve been socialised with MC habitus gain ‘symbolic capital’- status and recognition from school, deemed to be valuable.
Define Symbolic Violence
> Where school rejects WC habitus and WC tastes are deemed worthless.
> Reproduces class structure and keeping WC ‘in their place’
Explain the Impact of SV on WC kids
> WC see world of education as alien and unnatural
> WC felt they have to change/lose themselves to be successful.
Explain Archer’s Findings on Nike Identities?
> SV leads WC kids to find alternatives to creating self-worth, status and value.
> Done by investing heavily in ‘styles’ like Nike, to gain SC from peers
> Styles were heavily policed by peer groups not conforming was ‘social suicide’
> This conflicted vs school’s dress code and conflict with their MC habitus.
How did Nike Styles play a part in WC pupils’ seeing HE as unrealistic?
- Saw it as not for them and for posher MC ppl
- Thought they wouldn’t fit in.
- Seen as risky investment.
How did Nike Styles play a part in WC pupils’ seeing HE as undesireable?
- Wouldn’t suit preferred lifestyle or habitus
- Would lead to debt, so wouldn’t be able to keep up Nike identities.
Explain Ingram’s Study of Conflict between WC Habitus and MC skl’s for WC grammar schoolboys?
> Problem for WC grammar school boys, experienced tension between neigbourhood’s habitus and that of MC skl.
> Faced being judged as worthless at skl for wearing street clothes or worthless in community for not doing so.
Explain Evans Study on how WC girls self excluded themselves from success?
> Found even successful WC girls faced hidden barriers.
> Felt their identity wouldn’t fit in with habitus of elite uni’s
> They had strong attachment to WC locality and Family
> Wanting to remain at home to study, an economic necessity.
Explain how Postmodernists criticise Class Identities?
> Postmodernists say class, no longer has as much impact on students identity, due to pick n mix culture.
