External factors leading to class differences in achievement

Question 1

What are internal factors ?

Answer 1

internal factors are factors within schools and the education system , such as interactions between pupils and teachers and inequalities between schools.

Question 2

What are external factors ?

Answer 2

External factors are factors outside of the education system , such as the influence of home and family background and wider society.

Question 2

What is cultural deprivation ?

Answer 2

Cultural deprivation is where individuals fail to acquire the basic values , attitudes and skills that are needed for educational success through primary socialisation in the family.

Question 3

What are the 3 main aspects of cultural deprivation ?

Answer 3

3 main aspects of cultural deprivation are ;
Language
Parents Education
Working class sub-culture

Question 4

How does the way parents communicate with their children impact their development ?

Answer 4

The way in which parents communicate with their children affects their intellectual development.

Question 5

Why do lower class children tend to have lower performance compared to middle class ?

Answer 5

their less educated parents use language in a way that only requires children to answer simply such as what is that animal called ? which results in lower performance.

Question 6

What is the impact on children if they fail to develop the necessary language skills ?

Answer 6

if children fail to develop the necessary language skills then they grow up incapable of abstract thinking and are unable to use language to explain and describe which means they are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that schools offer.

Question 7

Why do Bernstein speech codes give middle class and advantage in school ?

Answer 7

The differences in speech codes give middle class children an advantage because elaborated code is the language used by teachers , textbooks and exams.

Question 8

Why do middle class feel at home when at school due to Bernstein speech codes and how does this impact their achievement ?

Answer 8

Early socialisation in the elaborated code means that middle class children are already fluent users of the code when they start school. so they feel at home and more likely to succeed.

Question 9

Due to the speech codes what does this lead working class children to feel and how does this impact their achievement ?

Answer 9

Working class pupils who lack the elaborated code which is used in school feel excluded and therefore are less likely to be successful

Question 10

What ways do middle class parents socialize their children which gives them an advantage in school ?

Answer 10

middle class parents socialize their children in a number of ways such as ;
-Parenting style
-parents’ educational behaviours
-Use of income

Question 11

What is educated parents , parenting style ?
How does this support their achievement ?

Answer 11

Educated parents’ parenting style emphasizes consistent discipline and high expectations of their children
This supports their achievement by encouraging active learning and exploration.

Question 12

What is less educated parents , parenting style ?
How does this not support their achievement ?

Answer 12

less educated parents’ parenting style is marked by harsh and inconsistent discipline that emphasizes “ doing what you’re told “ and “behaving yourself “
This does not support their achievement as prevents the child from learning independence and self control leading to poor motivation at school and problems interacting with teachers.

Question 13

Why are educated parents more likely to do educational activities with their children ?
What activities do these consist of ?

Answer 13

Educated parents are more aware of what is needed to assist their children’s educational progress such as reading to their children , teaching them letters , numbers , songs , painting and drawing , helping with homework etc. Also recognize educational value of visits to museums and libraries etc.

Question 14

How does use of income impact children’s education ?

Answer 14

better educated parents not only tend to have higher incomes but they spend their income in ways that promotes their children’s educational success
Also, educated parents have a better understanding of nutrition and its importance in child development and a high income can buy more nutritious foods.

Question 15

How does use of income link to working class pupils failure ?

Answer 15

working class parents can’t afford educational resources for their children do they lack resources do start school without the intellectual skills they need to progress.

Question 16

what is a subculture ?

Answer 16

subculture - a group whose attitudes and values differ from those of a mainstream culture.

Question 17

What is the working class subculture ?

Answer 17

working class subculture according to cultural deprivation theorists is where large sections of the working class have different goals , beliefs , attitudes and values from the rest of society and this is why they fail at school.

Question 18

What is fatalism ?

Answer 18

Fatalism is the belief in fate , that whatever will be will be and there is nothing you can do to change your status.

Question 19

What is collectivism ?

Answer 19

Collectivism is valuing being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual.

Question 20

what is immediate gratification ?

Answer 20

Immediate gratification is seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in order to get rewards in the future.

Question 21

What is present time orientation ?

Answer 21

Present time orientation is seeing the present as more important than the future so not having long term goals.

Question 22

How do Sugarman’s 4 barriers to working class achievement lead them to underachieve in school ?

Answer 22

Working class children internalize the beliefs and values of their subculture through the socialization process which results in them underachieving in school.

Question 23

Why does Sugarman believe these 4 values exist for the working class ?

Answer 23

Sugarman argues these 4 values stem from the fact that middle class jobs are secure and offer prospects for individual advancement . This encourages ambition , long term planning and a willingness to invest time and effort in gaining qualifications whereas working class jobs are less secure and have no career structure where individuals can advance and there are few promotion opportunities and earnings peak at an early age.

Question 24

What are the aims of compensatory education programmes and how do they do this ?

Answer 24

Compensatory education programmes aim to tackle the problems of cultural deprivation by proving extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas. They intervene early in the socialization process to compensate for the deprivation that the children experience at home.

Question 25

What is the best known compensatory education programme and what was its aim and what did it include doing ?

Answer 25

Head start
scheme of pre school education in poorer areas and its aim was planned enrichment of the deprived child’s environment to develop skills and instill achievement motivation .
It included improving parenting skills , setting up nursery classes and home visits by education psychologists ?

Question 26

What are 3 compensatory education programmes in Britain ?

Answer 26

-Educational priority areas
-Education action zones
-Sure start

Question 27

What is material deprivation ?

Answer 27

Material deprivation refers to poverty and the lack of material necessities such as adequate housing and income.

Question 28

What are ways poverty can be linked to educational underachievement ?

Answer 28

-exclusion and truancy are more likely for children from poorer families.
-nearly 90 % of failing schools are located in deprived areas.

Question 29

How can poor housing affect a child’s achievement directly ?

Answer 29

Over crowding can have a direct effect by making it harder for the child to study and less room for educational activities < nowhere to do homework and disturbed sleep from sharing beds or bedrooms

Question 30

How can poor housing affect a child’s achievement indirectly ?

Answer 30

Children In crowded homes run a greater risk of accidents , cold or damp housing can cause ill health and families in temporary accommodation suffer more stress , infections and accidents which can mean health problems resulting in absences from school.

Question 31

What are 3 factors that poorer children are likely to experience that links to their diet and health ?

Answer 31

-lower intakes of energy , vitamins and minerals weakening the immune system and making them more tired resulting in absences from school
-children from poorer families are more likely to have emotional or behavioural problems
-children from low income families were more likely to engage in externalising behaviours such as fighting and temper tantrums which disrupts their schooling

Question 32

How does lack of financial support mean children from low incomes families underachieve ?

Answer 32

lack of financial support means that children from poor families have to do without equipment and miss out on experiences that would enhance their educational achievement.

Question 33

What happens as a result of poor children not being able to afford school resources ?

Answer 33

Poor children have to deal with hand me downs and cheaper but unfashionable equipment and this may result in them being isolated or bullied by peers.

Question 34

What was abolished in 2011 by the coalitation government ?

Answer 34

Education maintenance allowance

Question 35

Why does fear of debt apply to university ?

Answer 35

Going to university usually involves getting into debt to cover the cost of tuition fees , books and living expenses which deters working class students from going to university

Question 36

What are the 3 types of capital ?

Answer 36

Cultural , educational and economic capital

Question 37

What is cultural capital ?

Answer 37

Cultural Capital refers to knowledge , attitudes , values , language , tastes and abilities of the middle class.

Question 38

How does cultural capital give middle class an advantage in education ?

Answer 38

their interests and abilities are highly valued and rewarded with qualifications as education favors and transmits middle class culture

Question 39

How does lack of cultural capital disadvantage working class ?

Answer 39

working class find that schools devalues their culture as rough and inferior and the lack of cultural capital leads them to exam failure and due to not feeling education is for them they give up trying or leave

Question 40

How can you convert economic capital into educational capital ?

Answer 40

convert economic capital into educational capital by sending children to private schools and extra tuition