IN SCHOOL FACTORS AFFECTING ACHIEVEMENT Flashcards
Internal factors
Factors within schools and the education system.
E.g interactions with pupils and teachers
What is Labelling
To attach a meaning or definition to them.
E.g bright, thick, troublemaker or hardworking
How are working class parents labelled by teachers
Uninterested in their children’s education
How are middle class parents labelled by teachers
Supportive.
How do WC and MC children get treated differently with work
MC: get set extension work even for underachieving students
WC: put in easier exams, they are underestimated
What is the self- fulfilling prophecy
When teachers give a student the praise they want. It exceeds their expectations.
How is a self- fulfilling prophecy created
1: teacher labels a pupil, making predictions about the pupil (going to do very well)
2: teacher treats the student accordingly (giving more attention)
3: pupil internalises the teachers expectation. He acts the way the teacher wants and therefore forfils the prophecy
How can the prophecy produce under-achievement
If a teacher has a low expectation and communicate accordingly, they may develop a negative self-concept
May also see themselves as a failure
Will give up and therefore fulfilling the prophecy that was made for them
What is streaming
Involves separating children into different ability groups or classes called ‘streams’.
Each ability group is then taught differently
Why are WC pupils put in lower streams
Not seen as ideal pupils
Tend to see them as lacking ability and do not have high expectations of them.
Why are MC students often put in higher streams
They benefit
Seen as an ideal pupil
They then develop a more positive self- concept
Gain confidence and work harder to increase their grades
What are pupil subcultures
Groups of pupils who share similar values and behaviour patterns.
Often emerge as a response to the way they have been labelled.
What is differentiation
The process of teachers categorising pupils according to how they perceive their ability. E.g streaming
What is polarisation
The way that pupils respond to streaming by moving to one or another extreme.
Explain the pro-school subculture
Pupils placed in high streams
Remain committed to school
Gain status through academic success
Explain the anti-school subculture
Pupils placed in lower streams
Suffer a loss of self-esteem
Academic failure pushes them to search other ways to gain status.
They do this by: not doing homework and going against the schools values
Ingratiation
Teachers pet
Ritualism
Going through the motions and staying out of trouble
Retreatism
Daydreaming and mucking about
Rebellion
Outright rejection of everything the school stands for
Criticisms of the labelling theory
Marxism- say the labelling theory blamed the teachers with no explanations of why
Pupils identities and the school.
What is habitus
Taken for granted ways of thinking
acting in ways that are shared by a social class
Explain Nike identities
WC creating ways of self-worth, status and value.
Constructing meaningful class identities for themselves.
Labelled as being rebels
Street style that is against the schools dress code
Why do the WC see uniform as unrealistic
It’s not for people ‘like them’.
It’s for richer, posher, clever people
Unaffordable and a risky investment.
