Social class and education- external factors

Question 1

What are the 2 social classes?

Answer 1

Working class
Middle class

Question 2

Why can external factors be the reason for class inequality in education?

Answer 2

Cultural deprivation
-material deprivation
-cultural attitudes
-sociolinguistics
-cultural capital

Question 3

What is material deprivation?

Answer 3

when the lower class don’t have sufficient funds and can’t afford to pay for children’s school recourses’ such as laptops, pens, pencils etc

Question 4

Douglas’ theory of material deprivation?

Answer 4

w/c disadvantaged for many reasons overcrowded homes, unemployment, lack of nursery provisions, part time jobs and living in poverty stricken areas

Question 5

Webb’s theory of material deprivation?

Answer 5

-Only 33% of children on free school meals abstained 5 or more A*-C grades, compared to 61% of children not on free school meals
-exclusion and truancy on w/c
-90% of failing schools in LIC areas

Question 6

Howards beliefs of poor diet?

Answer 6

W/C don’t get enough of vitamins and minerals causing illness and poor heath causing absence therefore creating failure

Question 7

Wilkinson’s beliefs of poverty?

Answer 7

w/c are more likely to have behavioural problem

Question 8

Bull and Tanner on poverty?

Answer 8

Free schooling is never actually free- uniforms, pens and bus fare
-financial burden on children can cause bullying

Question 9

National audit official 2003 on poverty?

Answer 9

w/c spend double time in paid employments to pay of their debts compared to m/c

Question 10

What’s the culture capital?

Answer 10

The w/c lack necessary views, attitudes, knowledge and support to succeed

Question 11

Douglas and Feinstein’s views of culture capital?

Answer 11

the reason w/c children do bad in education is due to the fact their parents lack care for children’s success within school, not motivating their children
-we can see this as m/c parents are more likely to parents evening as well they help their children with their school work compared to w/c who don’t

Question 12

Bernstein’s sociolinguistic theory?

Answer 12

-W/C have restricted code meaning they have limited vocab, simple sentences and grammar
M/C have elaborate code meaning they have kings speech complex and abstract language
-this means m/c do better as in essay elaborate codes are needed

Question 13

Hyman and Sugarman’s subculture theory?

Answer 13

w/c and m/c have different values, these values get passed on through each generation. The m/c way of thinking can be favoured

Question 14

Subculture theory’s- w/c values?

Answer 14

-Fatalism- it is what it is
-Collectivism- think as a family
-Immediate gratification- want reward now not later
-Present time orientation- think about right now

Question 15

Subculture theory- m/c values?

Answer 15

-Optimism
-Individualism
-Deferred gratification
-Future orientation

Question 16

Bourdieu reproduction of class inequality? culture capital

Answer 16

Every class has its own habitus (values and beliefs)
In school the m/c habitus is shared as teachers are usually m/c as well as the people that create curriculum
-Can cause failure for w/c as they can’t get a culture capital and their habitus is one that different then the one being taught in school

Question 17

Working class capitals, Bourdieu?

Answer 17

Low culture, education and economic capital = failure

Question 18

Middle class capitals, Bourdieu?

Answer 18

High culture, education and economic capital = success

Question 19

Sullivans evidence of the culture capital?

Answer 19

m/c do better on GCSE’s as they already read complex fictions and documentary’s so at an advantage

Question 20

Putnam and social networking?

Answer 20

Better to have a good social networking which m/c usually have, means better opportunity’s in life
e.g. private school boys- old boy network

Question 21

Whitty marketisation?

Answer 21

marketisation doesn’t lead to less inequality it just allows m/c to use knowledge and wealth even more then before

Question 22

Gerwitz, culture capital and parental choice?

Answer 22

It only benefits the middle class as theirs are 3 different types of choosers
-Privileged skilled chooser- m/c use economic and culture capital, aware of admission process
-disconnected local choosers- w/c don’t have economic or culture capital, admission process difficult and money and distance is a huge factor
-semi skilled choosers- usually w/c, more ambitious and aware then disconnected choosers, lack culture and economic capital so get frustrated with system

Question 23

Criticisms of social class underachievement within education? compensatory education processes

Answer 23

policy’s made to counteract effects of material deprivation
providing the w/c with additional recourse and equipment

Question 24

What are some compensatory education processes?

Answer 24

Operation head start- USA planned enrichment
Education action zones
Education priority areas
Sure start
Free school meals

Question 25

Keddie- culturally deprived?

Answer 25

Calling the w/c culturally deprived is insulting, just because it’s different doesn’t mean their deprived
-should challenge the teachers on their anti w/c prejudice instead of blaming the victims

Question 26

Troyna and Williams- sociolinguistic codes?

Answer 26

the w/c restricted language is to blame its the teachers reaction to different language styles that should be

Question 27

Blackstone and Mortimore criticism or parental attitudes?

Answer 27

it’s not that w/c parents aren’t interested in children’s education.
They cant attend parents evening as w/c family are most likely to work in low skilled part time jobs and may work night shifts or struggle to get time off so therefore can’t attend
also cant help with child’s work as they don’t understand as its to difficult