external factors Flashcards
Cultural deprivation
This theory suggests that working class people may lack attitudes, language and values necessary for success in education
:( - cultural deprivation
places the blame on factors outside of school such as young people’s socialisation in the family and community
Douglas
found that the single most important factor was the degree of PARENTAL ENCOURAGEMENT, expectation interest and involvement in their
children’s education
Feinstein
- suggested that very high parental interest led to much better exam results than for children whose parents showed no interest.
- Supportive parents have a greater effect than financial aspects
Middle-class parents on the whole:
- Take more interest in their children’s
progress - Become more interested and encouraging
as their children grow older (exam options,
career choices)
EVALUATION of Douglas’s claims
- used measures of ‘parental interest’ based on teacher’s comments about parents attitudes, and the number of times parents visited schools.
- However, many w/c people work longer hours and have less flexibility.
- Not visiting a school may reflect material constraints of their jobs.
SUBCULTURAL EXPLANATIONS
SUGARMAN
sugarman - subcultural explanations
explanations argue that different social classes have some different values, attitudes or lifestyles and these affect the performance of children
sugarman - subcultural explanations ( W/C)
- Immediate gratification
- Present-time orientation
- Fatalism
- Collectivism
sugarman - subcultural explanations ( M/C)
- deferred gratification
- future-time orientation
- meritocracy
- individualism
sugarman’s subcultural explanations - evaluation
- ‘blame the victim’ approach.
- They ignore the role that schools play themselves in forming the attitudes
and ambitions of children. Blaming family as irresponsible can attach a
stigma to such families/social classes and may lead to low expectations by
teachers.
elaborated code (Bernstein)
- it is middle-class people’s familiarity with elaborated code that gives
them a better chance of success in education - necessary for exam success in many subjects.
- As many teachers are middle class, they are more likely to use elaborated codes.
Elaborated code
Language where explanation and detail are required. It has a much wider vocabulary than restricted code. Examples of language use include in an interview for a job, writing a business letter, writing an essay
Restricted code
Language used between friends or family members, informal, simple, everyday language. Limited explanation and vocabulary.
Bernstein evaluation
oversimplifies the difference between middle class and working class speech patterns.
He has been accused of creating a myth of the
superiority of middle class speech
Sociologists believe cultural deprivation can be narrowed down to 3 elements:
- Language
- Parent’s education
- Working class subcultures
Cultural capital
A good and healthy amount of knowledge, language skills, attitudes, values and lifestyle, often associated with monetary wealth
Sociologists believe cultural deprivation can be narrowed down to 3 elements:
- Language
- Parent’s education
- Working class subcultures
highlighted the cultural capital theory
Pierre Bourdie
Examples of cultural deprivation
- Inadequate socialisation
- Inadequate language skills
- Inappropriate attitudes/values
Cultural capital can be split into 3 different sections:
Embodied state
Objectified state
Institutionalised state
embodied state of cultural capital
knowledge we seek on our own and learn in school.
objectified state of cultural capital
material objects we use to indicate social class.
institutionalised state of cultural capital
society measuring status based on level of education
Examples of cultural deprivation
- Deficiencies in home and family background
- Inadequate socialisation
- Inadequate language skills
- Inappropriate attitudes/values
Douglas - parents
argued that parental interest was the most important factor in a child’s educational success.
Douglas - house
argued there was a significant link between poor housing conditions and lower educational achievement.
Gillborn and Mirza
Strong correlation between class and achievement in all ethnic groups.
deferred gratification - SUGARMAN
content to put off pleasure now in order to achieve greater pleasure in the future
IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION - SUGARMAN
too much emphasis on enjoying themselves
present time orientation - sugarman
live life in the moment & lack an emphasis on long term goals and future planning
fatalism - sugarman
do not believe they can improve their prospects through hard work
collectivism - sugarman
seek success through collective action eg trade unions
future - time orientation - sugarman
think ahead rather than living in the moment
meritocracy - sugarman
- you make your own luck
- ## chances in life based upon your ability & hard work
individualism - sugarman
success achieved through individual action
