P1 Education, Families & Research Methods Flashcards
list the 3 external factors which affect pupils achievement
- material deprivation
- cultural deprivation
- cultural capital
give examples of material deprivation
- poor housing
- lack of substantial meals
- lack of finance
how is poverty closely linked to educational achievement?
- Over 90% of failing schools are located in the poorest, most deprived areas of the country.
- Children from poorer backgrounds, are far more likely to be excluded from school.
- Poverty is connected with lower ambition
describe how poor housing can affect pupils achievement
It effects pupils both directly and indirectly.
- Overcrowding makes it harder to study and do homework.
- Poor housing can impact on a child’s health and welfare leading to more accidents in the home.
- Families in temporary accommodation suffer more psychological distress, infection and find that their schooling is disrupted from constantly having to move.
describe how poor diet and health can affect pupil achievement
Sociologist Howard identified that young people from poorer homes have a lower intake of energy, vitamins and minerals.
Poor nutrition affects health by weakening the immune system and lowering energy levels - leading to difficulties concentrating in class and more absences from school.
describe how lack of finances can affect pupil achievement
- Pupils from low income families may not have access to experiences or opportunities that may enhance their educational achievement.
- Research by Callender and Jackson (2005) found that WC students are more debt-averse and saw more costs than benefits from going to university.
- Sociologists Smith and Noble (1995) add that poverty acts as a barrier to learning in other ways, such as inability to afford private schooling or tuition and poorer quality schools.
what are the critiques of material deprivation theory?
- While material factors clearly play a part in achievement, the fact that some children from poor families succeed suggests that MD is only part of the explanation.
- Successive governments have attempted to overcome MD by introducing programmes of compensatory education. These don’t alleviate MD but they attempt to provide opportunities to children from more disadvantaged backgrounds by encouraging greater participation in higher education.
List examples of compensatory programmes:
- Pupil Premium, introduced by the Coalition Government. It allocated additional funding for each poor pupil in a school and was designed to assist their education depending on their specific needs.
- Sutton Trust, aims to provide educational opportunities for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. They offer support for students applying for higher education in the hope of promoting social mobility.
give examples of cultural deprivation
- Intellectual development
- Attitudes and values
- Language
describe how Intellectual Development can affect pupil achievement
- Cultural deprivation theorists argue that many working-class homes lack the books and activities that would stimulate a child’s intellectual development.
Therefore, children from WC homes start school without having developed the intellectual skills required to progress. - Sociologist Douglas found important social class differences in primary socialisation patterns suggesting that middle class children receive greater attention and stimulation from their parents which in turn fosters intellectual progress.
describe how Attitudes and Values can affect pupil achievement
- Sociologist Douglas argued that the single most important factor affecting educational progress was the degree of parental interest shown in a child’s education.
He concluded that generally, middle-class parents take greater interest in their child’s education and value it more, which motivates children to do well.
Research by Hyman (1967) found that values of WC create a self-imposed barrier to educational and career success.
They tend to believe that they have less opportunity for individual advancement and place less value on achieving high status jobs - so they see no point in education.
what are the four key features that act as a barrier to education for WC.
And who argues this?
- Present-time orientation - seeing the present as more important than the future.
- Immediate gratification - wanting benefits, pleasure, satisfaction now rather than waiting for a bigger reward in the future.
- Fatalism - belief you cannot change how things are as they are predetermined and destined.
- Collectivism - being a part of a group rather than standing out as an individual
Researcher Sugarman (1970) argues that working-class subcultures has 4 key features that act as a barrier to educational achievement.
what are the four middle class (MC) cultural values?
- Future-time orientation - They focus on the long term goals
- Deferred gratification - sacrificing short term rewards for longer term benefits.
- Activism - proactive approach where individuals are encouraged to take steps to improve situation, status
- Individualism - emphasises individual achievement and aspirations.
describe how Language can affect pupil achievement
The importance of language for educational achievement was highlighted by Bereiter and Englemann (1966). They claim that the language used in lower class homes is deficient and as a result, children fail to develop the necessary language skills required in school.
Speech is important for communication and learning, it affects our capacity to be educated, and capability to articulate our understanding and therefore our educational achievement.
what is the socio-linguistic theory? And what were the two speech codes that were distinguished?
Researcher Bernstein (1975) developed the socio-linguistic theory where he sought to explain how a person’s social class position shapes the sort of language or speech codes that people use.
- The restricted code (The WC):
- Speakers assume that listeners share the same set of meanings + experiences; it’s contextual bound.
The code is implicit, speaker takes for granted that audience will know what they’re saying. - The elaborated code (The MC):
- Used for the transmission of facts and accurate delivery processes.
The meanings transmitted are explicit which could be characterised longer, grammatically complex, with wide range of vocabulary.
Which language code is used in education? As a result who does this benefit and disadvantage?
According to Bernstein, the elaborated code is used in education (by teachers, textbooks and exams).
- Since schools do not teach pupils how to use this code it benefits the MC children as they’re generally early socialised using the elaborated code.
- Whereas, working class children lacking the the code in which schooling takes place, are likely to feel excluded and to be less successful as schools fail to teach them how to use the elaborated code.
what are the critiques of cultural deprivation theory (CDT)
Nell Keddie (1973) describes CDT as a ‘myth’. She argues that WC children are culturally different, not culturally deprived. They fail because they are put at a disadvantage by the education system that is dominated by MC values.
Blackstone and Mortimore (1994) challenge the idea that WC parents are not interested in their children’s education. They argue that their attendance to parent’s evening could be minimal because they work longer or irregular hours and would lose income if they took time off work or are put off by the school’s MC culture.
list examples of cultural capital theory
- an appreciation of art, literature, politics, current affairs.
- links to people taste in music , food, travel ect.
what is cultural capital?
The knowledge, attitudes, values, tastes and abilities of the middle class.
what does Bourdieu state about cultural capital?
There’s an inbuilt MC advantage since families are able to pass on cultural knowledge and skills that are highly valued in schools. He claims that many working-class pupils feel devalued and rejected and ‘get the message’ that education is not meant for people like them and respond by truanting, early leaving or not trying.
His primary argument is that education system reproduces the dominant culture and in doing so helps reproduce the class system.
what are the critiques of cultural capital theory?
- The value of this theory is undermined by the reality that many pupils who lack cultural capital, go on to achieve in education.
- Many schools/ teachers value WC pupils; their culture and experiences
- Many schools/teachers actively attempt to address a lack of cultural capital by providing opportunities and experiences to pupils e.g. visiting museums.
list 7 internal factors which affect pupil achievement
- Labelling
- Self-fulfilling prophecy
- Setting and streaming
- Pupil subcultures
- Pupil Identities
- The School
- Marketisation & Selection
