Internal Factors - Labelling Flashcards
What is the definition of labelling?
To label someone is to attach a meaning or definition to them.
Evidence of labelling in schools and what are most labels based on?
Becker found in a high school teachers judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the ideal pupil. Pupils’ work, conduct and appearance were key factors influencing teachers' judgments. The teachers saw children from middle-class backgrounds as the closest to the ideal, and working class children as furthest away from it because they regarded them as badly behaved. However, different teachers have a different image of the ideal pupil depending on the social class makeup of the school. Hemper-Jorgensen found that in largely working-class schools, where discipline was a major problem, that the ideal pupil was defined as quiet, passive and obedient - the children were defined by their behaviour, rather than their ability. Whereas, in largely middle-class schools, where there was very few discipline problems, the ideal pupil was defined by their academic ability and personality, rather than their behaviour.
How can labelling in secondary schools cause the differences in achievement?
- Dunne and Gazeley studied 9 English state schools. They found that teachers ‘normalised’ the underachievement of working class pupils, seemed unconcerned by it and felt they could do little or nothing about it, whereas they believed they could overcome the underachievement of middle-class pupils.
- The major reason for this difference was because the teachers belief in the role of pupils’ home backgrounds: they labelled working class parents as uninterested in their children’s education but they labelled middle-class parents as supportive.
- As a result, the teachers dealt with their pupils that were underachieving differently, for example they would set extension work for underachieving middle class pupils but enter working class pupils for easier exams.
How can labelling in primary schools cause the differences in achievement?
Rist studied an American kindergarten. Rist found that the teacher used information about children’s home background and appearance to place them in separate groups, seating each group at a different table. The students that she decided were fast learners who she labelled the ‘tigers’ tended to be middle class and have a neat and clean appearance. She seated them at the table closest to her and showed them greatest encouragement. The other group she labelled as the ‘clowns’ were seated further away from her. They were most likely to be working class and they were given lower-level books to read and fewer chances to show their abilities.
