Explaining Working Class Underachievment

Question 1

Material factors - Smith and Noble

Answer 1

Poor housing lead to higher rates of sickness. Poor diet or lack of breakfast leads to lower concentration in lessons. It puts pressure on the pupils to supplement family income so there’s less time to study and increased tiredness

Question 2

Material factors - Forsyth and Furlong

Answer 2

Found the most significant factor that deters the working class from university is the cost of

Question 3

Material factors - Catchment areas

Answer 3

Are the areas where schools draw their pupils. Schools in socially deprived areas with poverty, unemployment and crime have a higher turnover of teachers

Question 4

Parents attitudes to education - Douglas

Answer 4

Parental interest is the most important factor. He argued working class parents are less interested in their children’s education and therefore are less likely to attend parents evening

Question 5

Parents attitudes to education - Phillips and Palmer

Answer 5

Middle class parents are more child centred and encourage their children to plan ahead, to defer gratification and be future time oriented and they can socially control their children

Question 6

Parents attitudes to education - Saunders

Answer 6

Middle class children are more hard working, intelligent and better motivated

Question 7

Language use - Bernstein

Answer 7

Argued there are 2 speech codes, elaborate and restricted. Elaborate speech codes are more complex, middle class teachers and middle class students use elaborate speech codes. Working class groups only communicate in restricted language codes

Question 8

Cultural difference - Bourdieu

Answer 8

Argues the working class are subject to symbolic violence, their culture is belittled and devalued by teachers. Middle class have cultural capital (advantage). Habitus is the expectation of your social group

Question 9

Cultural differences - Gerwitz

Answer 9

Middle class parents are pixelated skill choosers as they can use their economic and cultural capital to get an educational advantage

Question 10

Cultural differences - Sugarman

Answer 10

Argues working class culture is a barrier to attainment, they eek immediate gratification, are present time oriented and are fatalistic (nothing you can do to change your position)

Question 11

Teachers attitudes, streaming and labelling - Becker

Answer 11

Studied 60 teachers and found they have an ‘ideal type’ who is most likely to be middle class - has a halo effect, working class students are labelled, placed into bottom set where they internalise and accept failure and give up and thus they self-fulfil the prophecy

Question 12

Teachers attitudes, streaming and labelling - Ball

Answer 12

Schools still set and stream to please middle class parents who want to protect their children from weaker or disruptive students

Question 13

Teachers attitudes, streaming and labelling - Hargreaves

Answer 13

Found teachers judgement of ability is influenced by the houses that children come from. Working class children are viewed as less intelligent and low achievers

Question 14

Teachers attitudes, streaming and labelling - Reay

Answer 14

Views setting and streaming negatively, found children and young as 10 have already started internalising