external factors social class and education Flashcards
class differences in education due to cultural deprivation- Barry Sugarman
Argues that w/c children are orientated towards the present time gratification. As a result they were unable to sacrifice immediate income by staying on in education in order to gain better wages and jobs in the future. The fatalism of the w/c meant that they do not believe that they can improve their prospects through hard work. However, the m/c prefer deferred gratification as they would prefer greater rewards in the future. Sugarman argued that these attitudes and orientations were passed onto children which helped explain the difference in educational achievement that results in w/c being disadvantaged.
Social class achievement- cultural deprivation
Feinstein 2003
Found using data from British Cohort study that cultural deprivation was far more important than material deprivation and had a larger effect on educational attainment. The crucial factor was the extent to which parents supported and encouraged their children which determined how well they did. He reinforces the work of Douglas 1964.
Social class differences in education, cultural deprivation
Basil Bernstein
Believed that speech codes shaped education and achievement. He distinguishes two types of speech code: restricted code and elaborated code. In education, elaborated codes are necessary for exam success in many subjects. Being socialised in households that largely use restricted codes held back w/c children in the education, making it more difficult for them to achieve academic success.
Class differences in education and cultural capital
Pierre Bourdieau
Believes the possession or lack of possession of different types of capital shapes opportunity in society. He identified 4 types of capital: economic, social, symbolic and cultural.
He argues that the education system is biased towards the culture of higher social classes. Students from these classes have an advantage because they have been socialised in the dominant culture. The w/c cannot access the habitus of the m/c. They therefore possess more cultural capital useful for success in the education system.
Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic violence, has been criticized for its deterministic view of social reproduction. Some argue that it overlooks instances of resistance and negotiation within educational settings.
Social class and educational achievement cultural capital
Ball et al 1994
Showed how m/c parents are able to use their cultural capital to play the system to ensure that there children are accepted into the school of choice. They had greater cultural capital through social contacts and material advantages. This placed m/c children at an advantage and placed w/c children at a disadvantage.
social class and material deprivation and barriers to education
Halsey 1980
Argues that education fails to offer equality of opportunity for all children. He found that children from w/c backgrounds were likely to fail in the education system whilst m/c children were likely to succeed. Middle class children were more likely to stay in education from 16+.
He argued to reduce class inequalities, grants should be given to w/c children to encourage students to stay on in post compulsory education.
social class and material barriers to education
Douglas 1964
Douglas (1964) argued that working-class parents took less interest in school and education and therefore pushed their children less and indeed often encouraged them to focus on goals outside school and education.
Marilyn Howard- poorer homes and absence from school
argues that poorer homes have a lower intake of energy, vitamins and minerals which causes illness or a weakened immune system. this causes a significant absence from school, causing children to lack behind peers.
richard wilkinson- poorer homes and behavioural issues
Found that poorer homes are likely to have behavioural issues eg 10 year old boys are hyperactive and have increased anxiety.
Henry Giroux
Disagrees with the conventional approach of Bowles and Gintis because he does not believe that pupils passively accept everything that they are taught and instead actively shape their education and resist discipline imposed on them by school.
