Internal Factors - The self-fulfilling prophecy, streaming & the A-to-C economy

Question 1

What is the definition of a self-fulfilling prophecy and how does it occur?

Answer 1

-A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that comes true simply by virtue of it having been made.

• Step 1: the teacher labels a pupil and on the basis of this label makes predictions about them(e.g he is intelligent so he will make outstanding academic progress).
• Step 2: the teacher treats the pupil according to the label, acting as if the prediction is already true (e.g by giving him more attention and expecting a higher standard of work from him).
• Step 3: the pupil internalises the teacher’s expectation which becomes part of their self image, so that they now actually become the kind of pupil the teacher believed them to be in the first place (e.g he gains confidence, tries harder and is successful). The prediction is fulfilled.

Question 2

Evidence of the self fulfilling prophecy causing differences in achievement

Answer 2

• Rosenthal and Jacobson studied the effect of the self-fulfilling prophecy on a primary school. They told the school they had a new test that was designed to identify the students who would ‘spurt’ ahead, although it was just another standard IQ test.
• The researchers tested the students, then randomly picked 20% of the students and falsely, told the school that these students were identified as the ‘sputers’. -When they returned a year later, they found that almost half (47%) of those identified as ‘sputers’ had made significant progress. The effect was greater on younger children.

Question 3

What is the definition of streaming?

Answer 3

Streaming involves separating children into different ability groups or classes called ‘streams’. Each ability group is then taught separately from the others for all subjects. Studies show that the self-fulfilling prophecy is particularly likely to occur when children are streamed.

Question 4

How can streaming cause the self-fulfilling prophecy?

Answer 4

• Working class pupils are less likely to be seen as the ideal pupil, so teachers view them as lacking ability and have low expectations of them. So, the working class pupils are more likely to be put in lower streams. Once streamed, it is usually difficult to move up to a higher stream.
• Whereas, middle class pupils are more likely to be placed in higher streams due to the fact that teachers are more likely to see them as the ideal pupil. So, they are more likely to be successful and fulfill the self-fulfilling prophecy.
• This is supported by the fact that Douglas found that children aged 8 who are placed in a lower stream suffered a decline in their IQ by age 11, whereas children aged 8 placed in higher streams had improved their IQ by age 11.

Question 5

How does streaming create the A-to-C economy?

Answer 5

• Exam league tables rank each school according to its exam performance. Schools need to achieve a good league table position if they are to attract pupils and funding. Gilborn and Youdell believe publishing league tables creates the A-to-C economy within schools. This is a system in which schools focus their time, effort and resources on the students they see as having the potential to get 5 grade Cs which will boost their school’s league table position.
• This process is called the educational triage. Schools categorise pupils into three types:
  - those will pass anyway and can be left to get on with it
  - those with potential, will be helped to get a grade of C or better
  - hopeless cases, who are doomed to fail.
• As teachers categorise students using a stereotypical view of the working class (and black) pupils as lacking ability, they are more likely to be labelled as hopeless cases which produces a self-fulfilling prophecy and failure.
• The need to gain a good league table position drives the educational triage and becomes the basis for streaming.