Internal factors influencing educational achievement

Question 1

Interactionist perspective on education

Answer 1

The interactionist perspective focuses on processes within schools and other educational institutions to explain differential achievement.

Question 2

Self concept

Answer 2

The sort of person you think you are, weather lazy or hardworking etc. To interactionists your self concept is strongly influenced what others think of you. It’s hard for you to think for example you clever when people tell you otherwise.

Question 3

Labelling

Answer 3

when teachers apply labels on their pupils in terms of their ability, potential or behaviour. These labels can be positive or negative and can result in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 4

Becker on labelling

Answer 4

Becker was an interactionist who believed in labelling. He believed that once a label (such as ‘Troublemaker’ ) is attached to someone, it is likely that they will live up to this label.

Question 5

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 5

A self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when something happens because people expect it to happen. For example predicting a pupil will succeed in education will give them confidence and motivation to most likely succeed.

Question 6

Streaming

Answer 6

Sorting children into groups (streams) based on their ability so they are taught separately. Restricting those in lower sets.

Question 7

Ball streaming

Answer 7

Ball (1981) - studied a comprehensive that was switching from streaming to teaching mixed-ability groups. With streaming abolished, he found anti-school subcultures declined.

However- differentiation still occurred, teachers still categorised pupils and labelled the MC more favourably. Ball therefore suggests that class differences continue due to teacher labelling, as streaming removes the issue of subcultures.