External Factors - Education

Question 1

External factors

Answer 1

Factors outside the education system that can have an effect on the pupils behaviour in school
Influence of a pupils:
 - home
 - family background
 - wider society

Question 2

Nationwide study by the centre for Longitudinal studies (2007)

Answer 2

• By the age of 3 children from w/c backgrounds are already one year behind than those from m/c backgrounds
• The gap widens with age

Question 3

Cultural deprivation

Answer 3

Most people gain basic values, attitudes and skills that are needed for educational success through primary socialisation

Question 4

Cultural equipment

Answer 4

Includes things such as language, self discipline and reasoning skills

Question 5

Hubbs-Tait et al (2002) - Language

Answer 5

Parents who use language that challenges their children to evaluate their ability/understanding
- improves their cognitive performance

Question 6

Bereiter/Engelmann (1966) - w/c language

Answer 6

Language used in lower-class homes is deficient

• communicating by gestures
• single words
• disjointed phrases

Question 7

Speech codes - Bernstein (1975)

Answer 7

Identifies differences between w/c and m/c language that influence achievement

Question 8

Restricted Code

Answer 8

Restricted code: typically used by w/c

• limited vocabulary
• simple sentences
• predictable
• context bound
• descriptive not analytic

Question 9

Elaborated Code

Answer 9

Elaborated code: typically used by m/c

• wider vocabulary
• complex sentences
• communicates abstract ideas
• context free
• language to spell out their meanings

Question 10

Middle class children are at advantage…

Answer 10

Elaborated code is used in their homes from an early age so when they start school it is easy to succeed
It is used by teachers, notebooks and exams

Question 10

Working class pupils are at a disadvantage…

Answer 10

They lack the code in which schools use which makes them feel excluded causing them to underachieve

Question 12

Bernstein - reason for w/c failure

Answer 12

W/c don’t just fail because just because they are culturally deprived but also due to the school not teaching them how to use the code

Question 13

Douglas (1964) - w/c parental attitude

Answer 13

W/c parents place less value on education; being less ambitious for their child to do well and take less interest in education

Question 13

Less educated parents’ parenting style

Answer 13

Harsh/inconsistent discipline

Preventing the child from learning independence and self control; creating problems interacting with teachers

Question 14

Leon Feinstein (2008) - m/c parental attitude

Answer 14

Middle class parents who were educated take more interest in their child’s education; give them an advantage by socialising them

Question 16

Bernstein/Young (1967) - m/c mothers

Answer 16

M/c mothers more likely to buy education toys, books and activities while W/c lack these resources depriving them of these intellectual skills

Question 16

Fatalism

Answer 16

Belief in fate

There is nothing you can do to change your fate

Question 17

Barry Sugarman (1970) - w/c subcultures

Answer 17

W/c subculture has 4 key features:
Fatalism
Collectivism
Immediate gratification 
Present time orientation