external factors social class Flashcards
what are 4 cultural factors that effect social class/achievement?
parents education/attitude
cultural capital
subcultures
language
how does parents education/attitudes effect achievement?
- parents are less ambitious for their children so give them less encouragement and take less interest in their education which means children have lower levels of motivation and achievement
- they’re less likely to visit schools and discuss children’s progress with teachers
- whereas educated parents are more aware of what is needed to assist their children’s educational progress
what are subcultures?
subcultures = group whose attitudes & values differ from those of the mainstream culture
what are the working class subcultural values?
sugarman (1970) argues different social classes have different values - wc values are:
- immediate gratification - tend to want rewards ´now ´ rather than making sacrifices for future rewards, eg job = equals money = immediate material benefits
middle class practice deferred gratification (putting off today’s pleasure for future gains), eg investment in their children’s education = good career progression = greater financial rewards
- fatalism - working class children accept their social and economic position: they do not believe they can change or improve it with individual effort put into school
- low parent interest - wc less likely to look at long term benefits of being in the ES
how does cultural capital affect achievement/social class?
cultural capital - Bourdieu - in order to do well in the education system students must possess a certain level of cultural capital (a persons cultural competencies such as how you dress, speak etc)
working class lack cultural capital
how does language affect achievement/social class?
Language is an essential part of the process of education and the way parents communicate with their children affects their cognitive development and their ability to benefit from the process of schooling
Less educated parents more simplistic informal language
Bernstein:
Restricted code - working class limited vocabulary
4 external factors that affect social class
diet and health
fear of debt
poor housing
financial support and the costs of education
how does diet affect achievement?
marilyn howard - young people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals - poor nutrition affects health - may result in more absences from school or difficulties with concentrating in class
however their are free school meals
how does health affect achievement?
children from poorer homes are also more likely to have emotional or behavioural problems which will have a negative effect on education
how does poor housing affect achievement?
overcrowding means less room for educational activities, nowhere to do homework, disturbed sleep from sharing beds
for young children especially development can be impaired
however policies aimed to help - bursary pp etc
how does financial support & costs of education affect social class achievement? what does bull argue?
children from poorer families have to do without equipment and miss out on experiences
bull (1980) - ‘cost of free schooling’ cost of uniforms books computers place heavy burden of poor
may have to make do with hand me downs and cheaper unfashionable equipment —> lead to being isolated stigmatised or bullied by peers - 20% of those eligible for free school meals don’t take due to stigma
