Labelling - Dunne & Gazeley Flashcards
What did they find about underachievement? How did they find this out?
-interviews with teachers in 9 English secondary schools
- found negative labelling = normalised WC underachievement
What are the differences in the exams the social classes sit?
- WC entered for easier exams
- MC set extension work, more challenged
What happened as a result of teacher labelling? For both WC and MC (2)
- WC pupils internalise negative labels and underachievement becomes inevitable
- MC pupils internalise positive labels and excel
What are the 4 stages of the ‘labelling process’ (4)
- labelling
- master status
- self-fulfilling prophecy
- pupil subcultures
Describe ‘labelling’ (simple)
- based on preconceived notions about a group
Describe ‘master status’ (simple)
- labels stick and become one defining characteristic of a pupil/group
Describe ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ (simple)
- pupil/group believe the label; manifests into a reality (can be negative or positive depending on what label they’re given!)
Describe ‘pupil subculture’ (simple)
- a breakaway group of pupils who share a similar set of norms and values that oppose school values
What does this lead to?
negative labelled = underachievement
positively labelled = excelling in education
Evaluation of labelling theory?
- labelled as deterministic as a negative label does not mean a self-fulfilling prophecy is inevitable
Eval for teachers and how they label different social classes (2)
- not all teachers see pupils in social class terms
- many are highly professional and actively treat students equally
Eval regarding the methodology of the labelling theory? (2)
- much of the “evidence” used to discuss labelling theory is based upon judgements rather than hard evidence
- impossible to analyse a student’s time in school over the course of many years to see first hand evidence of negative labelling
