P1 Education - Cultural Deprivation

Question 1

How does home background affect the success of children?

Answer 1

Home background has an enormous effect on the success of children from working class and underclass backgrounds as they are more likely to suffer from cultural deprivation where they lack the knowledge and skills to succeed.

Question 2

What did Hyman (1967) say about cultural deprivation?

Answer 2

He argued that in “The value systems of different classes”, the system of the lower class creates a “Self imposed barrier to an improved position”

Question 3

What did Hyman see as the difference between working class and middle class value systems?

Answer 3

1. Members of the working class place lower values on achieving high occupations
2. They place lower values on achieving high occupations
3. They believe there is less opportunity for personal advancement
4. He concluded that motivation to achieve (in and out of school) was low for the working class.

Question 4

What did Barry Sugarman (1970) say about the 4 key features to subcultures which act as a barrier?

Answer 4

1. Fatalism - a belief in fate
2. Collectivism - value group more than self
3. Immediate Gratification - seek pleasure now
4. Present Time Orientation - no long term goals

Question 5

What did Douglas (1964) say about how parent’s attitudes affect children’s success?

Answer 5

He said that working class parents placed less value on education and they were less ambitious for their children + participated less in their education.
The result was that their children had lower levels of motivation and achievement.

Question 6

How does the parenting style affect the children’s education?

Answer 6

• Educated parents use more discipline and have higher expectations - supports achievement
• Educated parents are also more aware of what is needed to assist their children - advice, interactions with schools etc.

Question 7

What does Feinstein say about how parent’s education affects there child success?

Answer 7

He says that parents’ own education is the most important factor affecting achievement, as middle class parents are educated so they give their children better chances through socialisations

Question 8

What is the evaluation of home and parents on the child’s success?

Answer 8

Lots of studies suggest that working class parents are not necessarily less invested in their children’s education because they attend their school less frequently.
1. Less time to attend - jobs
2. Put off by teacher interaction
3. Data may not actually measure parental interest

Question 9

What was Gillian Evans case study in 2007?

Answer 9

• She found that most parents placed a high value on education and encouraged children to do well
• According to Evans, it is not the value placed one education that accounts for class differences in attainment, but instead class differences in socialisation
• Middle class children often enjoy tasks such as counting, shape and colour recognition as mothers are more likely to incorporate formal learning skills in an informal playful way

Question 10

How does language affect success of children?

Answer 10

Language is an essential part of the process of education and the way in which parents communicate with children affects their development

Question 11

What does Hubbs - Tait et al say about how language affects the success of children?

Answer 11

He argues that where parents use language to challenge their children, cognitive performance improves ( educated parents )

Question 12

What does Bernstein say about speech codes?

Answer 12

Bernstein argued that the language codes, are responsible for their different achievement

Question 13

What is restricted code?

Answer 13

Language used by friends and family
- Used by both middle class and working class students, but working class students are limited to this form of language

Question 14

What is elaborated code?

Answer 14

Used in a formal context with explanation and detail. It has wider vocabulary
- Elaborated code is the language used by teachers in school and is mainly used by middle class students therefore they have an advantage

Question 15

What is the evaluation of Bernstein?

Answer 15

1. He lumps together all manual workers
2. He provides little evidence of the existence and use of the restricted and elaborated codes
3. Much of his evidence is drawn from interviews with children (interviewer bias)
4. He implies that working class speech patterns are substandard ( created a myth that middle class speech patterns are superior )

Question 16

How does the set up of schools affect children’s success?

Answer 16

Schools are mainly run by white middle class people
- Those who share qualities are more likely to succeed
11+ test - favoured to middle class students
- ZOMART
- Familiar with anagrams (parents to x word in paper etc
- Familiar with classical composers (names on CD collections)
Middle class succeed not due to intelligence but use of preferred way of communicating

Question 17

What is Compensatory Education?

Answer 17

Making more resources available in schools in poorer areas in order to compensate for deprivation