Internal And External Factors Affecting Educational Achievement

Question 1

What are external factors

Answer 1

Material factors 
Cultural background 
Linguistic differences 
Parental attitudes and socialisation 
Racism in wider society 
Subculture attitudes

Question 2

What are internal factors

Answer 2

Teacher-pupil interactions 
Pro and anti-school subcultures 
Setting and streaming 
Institutional racism 
Organisation of teaching, learning and assessment 
Curriculum content

Question 3

Interactions between internal and external

Answer 3

Linguistic differences

• language learnt at home
• language of education based upon middle-class values

Labelling

• labels applied based on family background, appearance, language and attitudes
• influenced by external factors

Question 4

More examples of interactions between internal and external

Answer 4

Habitus comes from home life
Clashes with habitus of school- imposes it’s tastes and attitudes onto students

Curriculum content 
Parents knowledge of curriculum comes from social class that can be passed down to their children

Question 5

Interactions between internal and external (ethnicity)

Answer 5

Racism in wider society influences stereotypical views that some teachers hold

Lack of educational role models in society leads to underperformance in school

Anti-school subcultures- collectivist nature of working class replicated in subcultures

Question 6

Interactions between internal and external (gender)

Answer 6

Gender socialisation at home reinforced by gendered teachers in subjects

Teacher expectations of girls and boys differ because of external influences

Feminisation of education led to fewer males choosing to go into teaching