Explaining Social Class Differences In Education

Question 1

What are the External Explanations?

Answer 1

• Material deprivation
• Cultural deprivation
• Cultural capital

Question 2

What is Material Deprivation?

Answer 2

Economic poverty creates a barrier to learning, children are unable to seek educational opportunities

Question 3

How might ‘Housing impact’ a child’s education? (Material Deprivation)

Answer 3

• Overcrowding makes it harder to study + do homework
• Greater risk of accidents
• Damp accommodation causes ill health
• Psychological distress

Question 4

How might ‘Diet and Health’ impact a child’s education? (Material Deprivation)

Answer 4

• Howard; WC children have lower intake of energy, vitamins + minerals
• Wilkinson; Among 10 year olds, lower social class experience higher rates of hyperactivity, anxiety + conduct disorders
• Blanden + Machin; Poorer children are more likely to engage in externalising behaviour (Temper tantrums)

Question 5

How might ‘Finances’ impact a child’s education? (Material Deprivation)

Answer 5

• Tanner et al; Transport, uniforms, books, calculators, sport etc places heavier burdens on WC families
• Ridge; WC take on jobs which negatively impact their learning + university debt deters WC students from attending
• Sunderland has a 13% WC intake while Oxford only has 1.4%

Question 6

What is Cultural Deprivation?

Answer 6

• Socialisation patterns of WC parents don’t instill values which encourage educational success
• Lacks ‘cultural equipment’ for educational succcess

Question 7

How might ‘Intellectual Development’ impact a child’s education? (Cultural Deprivation?

Answer 7

• Douglas; Found important differences in primary socialisation suggests MC children have greater attention + stimulation which fosters intellectual progress
• Bernstein + Young; MC mums are more likely to choose toys which stimulate thinking skills

Question 8

How might ‘Attitudes and Values’ impact a child’s education? (Cultural Deprivation)

Answer 8

• Douglas; Most important factor impacting education was parents interest E.g. Attending Parent evenings
• Hyman; WC create self-imposed barriers since less value is placed on high status jobs but steady work
• Sugarman; WC parents don’t offer a prospect of individual advancement which is instilled into the next generation via socialisation

Question 9

What are Sugarman’s Features of Working-class subculture? (Cultural Deprivation)

Answer 9

• Present time-orientation; WC focus on the ‘now’ whereas MC encourage ‘Future time-orientation’
• Immediate gratification; WC focus on quick gratification whereas MC encourage ‘Deferred gratification’
• Fatalism; Belief that WC futures are set whereas MC believe ‘Activism’
• Collectivism; Collective effort is believed to cause change whereas ‘Individualism’ focuses on oneself

Question 10

How might ‘Language’ impact a child’s education? (Cultural Deprivation)

Answer 10

• Bereiter + Engleman; Language used in WC homes is deficient + causes failed development of necessary language skills required in school
• Bernstein; Elaborated code used in education which is not taught to pupils, relying upon socialisation

Question 11

What are Bernstein’s 2 Speech Codes? (Cultural Deprivation)

Answer 11

• Restricted Code; Context bound, Particularistic + implicit

- Elaborated Code; Context-free, Universalistic + explicit

Question 12

What is Cultural Capital?

Answer 12

• MC socialise their children with an understanding of what the education system requires for success
• A capital which aids educational success

Question 13

What are the Examples of Cultural Capital?

Answer 13

• Bourdieu; Class system provides MC with an unfair advantage + privilege
• Bourdieu + Sullivan; Questionnaires to survey 465 pupils asking by reading + TV habits, finding MC were more likely to gain cultural capital
• Ball + Gewirtz; MC parents are privileged + ensure their children get a spot in the place of their choice