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Sociology Paper 1 > Social class differences in achievement > Flashcards

Social class differences in achievement Flashcards

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1
Q

What are internal factors affecting achievement? [4]

A
  • labelling
  • streaming
  • self fulfilling prophecy
  • pupil subculture
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2
Q

What is labelling? (internal factor)

A
  • when a teacher attaches certain stereotypes towards a student and acts as if it is true
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3
Q

What are the negatives of labelling? [2]

A
  • can result in self fulfilling prophecy
  • students may start living up to the expectations of their label which can have lasting impact on students’ achievement and progress
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4
Q

How can labelling lead to self fulfilling prophecy?

A
  • student may grow to dislike the teacher and therefore stop trying / be less motivated in their lessons or the subject as a whole
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5
Q

What did Howard Becker say about labelling?

A
  • interviewed 60 high school teachers and asked them to judge pupils, he found that they would treat pupils better if they were in fitting with the ‘ideal pupil’
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6
Q

What would be considered the ‘ideal pupil’ in labelling? [3]

A
  • work completed at a high quality and on time
  • contributing in lessons and concentrating
  • wearing the correct uniform and having the appropriate attire for learning
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7
Q

What are the strengths of Becker’s research? [1]

A
  • bases his idea of the ideal pupil on real qualitative evidence
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8
Q

What are the limitations of Becker’s research? [2]

A
  • only conducted research in one area on a small sample of teachers so cannot be generalised
  • interview bias
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9
Q

What is the self fulfilling prophecy? (internal factor)

A
  • when the label of a student becomes a part of the person’s identity and the label becomes true
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10
Q

What are the steps of self fulfilling prophecy? [3]

A
  • the pupil is labelled negatively and is treated differently as a result
  • the pupil internalises that label and starts to believe it themself
  • the self fulfilling prophecy occurs and the pupil goes on to become that label
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11
Q

What did Rosenthal and Jacobson say about the self fulfilling prophecy? (internal factor)

A
  • ‘pygmalion effect’
  • they told the school that they had a new test specialty for pointing out ‘special’ and more intelligent people but it was just an IQ test.
  • they picked 20% of the pupils at random and said that these were ‘spurters’
  • They found that teachers believed the test was real and agreed with results.
  • 47% of the random selection a year later had actually improved.
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12
Q

What are the strengths of Rosenthal and Jacobsons research? [1]

A
  • labelling theory gives us a critical way of analysing how teacher-pupil relationships may play a part in educational achievement
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13
Q

What are the limitations of Rosenthal and Jacobsons research? [2]

A
  • it is deterministic to assume that once labelling that self fulfilling prophecy will occur as pupils have free will and can choose to reject labels
  • labelling theory paints teachers in a very negative light and we can argue that teachers are able to be professional and avoids biases
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14
Q

What is streaming? (internal factor)

A
  • separating pupils into different ability groups or classes called ‘streams’ who are taught separately from others in all subjects
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15
Q

What are the disadvantages of streaming? [2]

A
  • pupils in lower streams may become less motivated to learn as they believe they cannot change their position
  • ignores the positives of streaming (eg it allows pupils to be given work which best suits their ability, giving work which is too hard for them may be demotivating and lead to under achievement)
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16
Q

What are the advantages of steaming? [1]

A
  • pupils in the lower set who struggle more when learning will receive more personal and beneficial teaching at a slower pace
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17
Q

What did Gillborn and Youdel say about the three groups forming the ‘educational triage’? (internal factor)

A
  • high ability —> likely to achieve good grades without support
  • middle ability (potential) —> likely to achieve with teacher support
  • low ability (no hopers) —> likely to underachieve as no support from teachers
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18
Q

In what way does streaming have different affects on pupils’ attitudes towards education? [1]

A
  • the ‘ideal pupil’ more likely to be placed in higher sets and develop a pro school attitude
    WHEREAS those negatively labelled and placed in low streams experienced the self fulfilling prophecy and underachieved
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19
Q

What are pupil subcultures? (internal factor)

A
  • a group of people who’s values and behaviours differ from the dominant culture they are part of (usually referred to the counterculture)
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20
Q

How do pupil subcultures emerge according to theorists?

A
  • as a response to labelling and as a reaction to streaming
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21
Q

What did Lacey say about the development of pupil subcultures?

A
  • lacey studied a boys grammar school and found that streaming led to polarising boys into two subcultures, pro-school and anti-school
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22
Q

What is Lacy’s anti school and pro school subculture? (internal factor)

A
  • anti school: pupils placed in low ability streams, usually working class pupils, labelled as failure so look for alternative ways of gaining status and approval from peers by inverting school values
  • pro school: pupils places in high ability streams, usually middle class pupils, approved by teachers so status gained through academic success
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23
Q

What did Lacy say about differentiation and polarisation?

A
  • differentiation leads to polarisation
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24
Q

What is differentiation? (internal factor)

A
  • the process of teachers streaming / categorising pupils according to their perceived ability, attitude or behaviour
  • more able students are given superior status
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25
Q

What is polarisation? (internal factor)

A
  • the process in which pupils respond to streaming by moving towards one of two extremes; pro school and anti school subcultures
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26
Q

What is ingratiation according to Woods? (internal factor)

A
  • being the ‘teachers pet’
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27
Q

What is ritualism according to Woods? (internal factor)

A
  • going through motions, staying out of trouble
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28
Q

What is retreatism according to Woods? (internal factor)

A
  • daydreaming and messing about
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29
Q

What is rebellion according to Woods? (internal factor)

A
  • outright rejection of everything that school stands for
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30
Q

What are the strengths of subcultures? [1]

A
  • there is plenty of research to support ideas around subcultures (eg Woods, Lacey and Ball)
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31
Q

What are the limitations of subcultures? [1] (internal factor)

A
  • labelling theorists ignore that external factors may also contribute to the formation of working class or anti school subcultures (eg collective values such as fatalism, immediate gratification sugarman)
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32
Q

What was Archers research of social class differences in achievement?

A
  • archer examined the interaction between working class pupils’s identities and how these affect their school achievement
  • (habitus, symbolic capital, nike identities, wc identity and class identity)
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33
Q

What was Archers concept of habitus? (internal factor)

A
  • habitus is ways of thinking and behaving, and what is considered normal: shaped by social class
  • middle class = habitus seen as superior, imposes it on education system
  • schools put more values on MC habitus
  • WC pupils become regarded as inferior and thus disadvantaged
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34
Q

What was Archers concept of symbolic capital and violence? (internal factor)

A
  • pupils socialised into MC habitus at home gain ‘symbolic capital’: status and recognition from school as more valued than WC habitus
  • schools devaluing working class habitus = “symbolic violence” which keeps the lower classes “in their place”
  • leads to alienation of working class pupils
  • for example, archer found WC pupils felt that they needed to change the way they presented themselves in order to be educationally successful, losing their own identities in the process
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35
Q

What was Archers concept of nike identities? (internal factor)

A
  • symbolic violence leads to seeking alternative ways of creating self- worth, status and value, especially through branded clothing such as nike
  • styles are usually “policed” by peers and the right appearance brings “symbolic capital”, approval from peer groups and safety from bullying
  • however, adopting identities through clothing brands and appearances clashes with school dress codes, leads to labelling from teachers (e.g. street style = rebellious)
  • further education (college, uni, etc) not seen as realistic or desirable for “people like us” leading to self- exclusion
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36
Q

What was Archers concept of working class identity and success with research from Ingram? (internal factor)

A
  • research by Ingram found that working class habitus and identity was influenced heavily by family, friends and neighbourhoods
  • WC communities = strong emphasis on conformity
  • this can lead to difficulties between pupils’ desire to “fit in” with their neighbourhood and school, forcing them to abandon their working class identity in favour of educational success
37
Q

What was Archers concept if class identity and self exclusion with research from Evans? (internal factor)

A
  • although many working class pupils go to university, they continue to experience barriers to success because of their habitus.
  • evans found that many working class pupils are reluctant to apply to prestigious universities like Oxford or Cambridge for fear of not “fitting in”
  • WC pupils also have a string attachment to locality and are reluctant to move away to study, narrowing their options and limiting their success
  • therefore, MC education system persistently limits the opportunities for working class pupils who are forced to either change their identities or opt out of pursuing educational success through self- exclusion
38
Q

What are the limitations of the labelling theory? [3] (internal factor)

A
  • it is too deterministic: it assumes that pupils who are labelled have no choice but to fulfil the prophecy and inevitably fail but Fuller’s research has shown that this is not always true
  • Marxists claim that the labelling theory ignores wider social structures of power, blaming teachers for labelling pupils but fails to explain why they do so
  • Marxists also argue that the labels are not merely the result of teachers’ prejudices but a result of the whole education system which reproduces class divisions and inequalities
39
Q

How did Fuller’s research show that some pupils reject teacher labels?

A
  • fuller conducted a study on a group of black girls in year 11 of a london comprehensive school where most black girls were placed in low streams.
  • the girls studied were atypical because they were high achievers despite their allocation to low steams
  • fuller found that the girls did not accept their negative labels, instead they channelled their energy into educational success.
  • they were pro-achievement, but anti-school
40
Q

Why were the New Right in favour of the marketisation policies? Why did some sociologist disagree with this?

A
  • they believe that it has solved the problem of a failing education system as it has forced school to raise their standards
  • some sociologists are critical of marketisation policies by stating that a marketised education system reproduces class inequalities in educational achievement
41
Q

What did Bartlett say about cream skimming and silt shifting? (internal factor)

A
  • cream skimming is the process where schools select the brighter students to attend their schools
  • this is because they know that these students are most likely going to obtain high grades at the end of their schooling career and therefore improve the school’s position in the league tables
  • however, WC children usually underperform due to factors such as material deprivation
  • this means that they will be silt shifted to go to underperforming and under funded schools
  • this cycle then repeats itself, leading to the reproduction of class inequalities
42
Q

What are the strengths from Marxists of marketisation policies? [1]

A
  • support from marxists who would also argue that the introduction of marketisation policies is increasing class inequalities
43
Q

What are the limitations from The New Right of marketisation policies? [1]

A
  • The New Right would argue that marketisation policies increase the standards of schools as they promote competition between schools in an educational market
  • this benefits everyone within the education system
44
Q

What is cultural deprivation? (external factor)

A
  • a nation wide study reveals that by the age of three, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already one year behind those from more privileged backgrounds and the gap continues to widen with their age
  • some children are inadequately socialised at home and therefore lack basic ‘cultural equipment’ including language, self discipline and reasoning skills needed to achieve well in school
45
Q

How does language (external factor) cause social class differences in achievement?

A
  • language is an essential part of the process of education and the way in which parents communicate with their children affects their intellectual development and their ability to benefit from the schooling process
46
Q

What were Burnstein’s 2 language codes?

A
  • the restricted code
  • the elaborated code
47
Q

What is the restricted code according to Bernstein?

A
  • used by the WC, short sentences, slang, informal
48
Q

What is the elaborated code according to Bernstein?

A
  • used by the MC, complex, longer sentences, formal
49
Q

What are the strengths of language codes causing social class differences in achievement? [1]

A
  • there are many pieces of research which can support the claim that language can impact achievement
  • for example, Bernstein
50
Q

What are the limitations of language codes causing social class differences in achievement? [1]

A
  • troyna and williams argue that the problem may not have anything to do with the language itself but with the school’s negative attitudes towards it
  • for example, WC pupils may be negatively labelled by teachers when using the restricted code
51
Q

What does Douglas (cultural deprivation theorist) say about parents’ education (external factor) causing social class differences in achievement?

A
  • douglas argued that parents’ attitudes towards education is a key factor affecting children’s achievement
  • for example, research has shown that WC parents placed less value on education so we’re less ambitious for their children, less interested in their education and gave them less encouragement
  • as a result of this, children has lower levels of motivation and achievement
52
Q

What does Feinstein say about parents’ education (external factor) causing social class differences in achievement?

A
  • feinstein argues that MC parents tend to be better educated and we’re able to provide children with parenting styles and educational behaviour that benefits children’s school performance and achievement
53
Q

Explain the WC parents’ parenting style

A
  • parents are less educated so don’t punish children to go to school and achieve highly
54
Q

Explain the MC parents’ parenting style

A
  • parents are more educated so have high expectations for children to achieve highly
55
Q

Explain the WC parents’ educational behaviours

A
  • parents place less value on education so are less ambitious for children
56
Q

Explain the MC parents’ educational behaviours

A
  • parents are more interested and ambitious / more involved with children to achieve top grades
57
Q

Explain the WC parents’ use of income

A
  • they provide children with the bare minimum such as good and clothes (necessities)
58
Q

Explain the MC parents’ use of income

A
  • they provide children with private schools and extra educational resources such as revision books and tutoring
59
Q

What are the strengths of parents’ education and attitudes? [1]

A
  • douglas’ study sent questionnaires to over 1000 parents so we can argue that the results were representative due to a large sample size
60
Q

What are the limitations of parents’ education and attitudes? [1]

A
  • critics argue that working class parents may not attend parent’s evenings because they work irregular shift patterns and may not help their children with homework because they lack the knowledge rather than the desire (blackstone and mortimore)
61
Q

What does cultural deprivation theorists say about working class subculture (external factor) causing social class differences in achievement?

A
  • cultural deprivation theorists argue that lack of parental interest in their children’s education reflects the subcultural values of the WC
  • large sections of the WC have different goals, beliefs and values from the rest of society and this is why their children underachieve at school
62
Q

What are the goals, beliefs and values of WC parents?

A
  • to provide basic necessities such as food and clothes rather than extra revision resources
  • they only expect their child to achieve lower pass grades (eg 4 in gcse, D in a level)
63
Q

What were Sugarman’s four key features that act as a barrier to educational achievement? (external factor)

A
  • fatalism
  • collectivism
  • immediate gratification
  • present time orientation
64
Q

What is Sugarman’s concept of fatalism? (external factor)

A
  • believe in fate and there is nothing they can do to change their status (‘what will be will be’) as opposed to focusing on own efforts to change position
65
Q

What is Sugarman’s concept of collectivism? (external factor)

A
  • valuing being part of the group more than succeeding as an individual (‘group loyalty’) as opposed to valuing own effort and success irrespective of the group view
66
Q

What is Sugarman’s concept of immediate gratification? (external factor)

A
  • seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in order to receive rewards in the future / long term goals (‘deferred gratification’)
67
Q

What is Sugarman’s concept of present time orientation? (external factor)

A
  • present more important than the future so not worrying about long-term goals or plans as opposed to future-time orientation
68
Q

What is the aim of compensatory education programmes?

A
  • compensatory education programmes aim to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation by providing extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas
  • they intervene in early socialisation process to compensate children for the deprivation they experience at home
69
Q

What are examples of compensatory education? [2]

A
  • education action zones
  • sure start
70
Q

What are education action zones?

A
  • extra money for schools in deprived areas
71
Q

What is surestart?

A
  • policy from the uk government (new labour)
  • parents can take kids to free child care, gives time for them to go to parenting classes
72
Q

What are the strengths of Sugarman’s working class subculture? [1]

A
  • sugarman gives us a critical way of analysing WC culture and how this may differ from MC culture or pro school subcultures
73
Q

What are the limitations of Sugarman’s working class subculture? [1]

A
  • it is deterministic to assume that all working class pupils conform to these values and go on to underachieve because of them
74
Q

How did Keddie criticise the cultural deprivation theory? [3]

A
  • keddie describes the cultural deprivation theory as a ‘myth’ and a victim blaming explanation
  • she argues that WC chikdren are culturally different but not culturally deprived and the reason why they underachieve in school is because they are disadvantaged by an education system that is dominated by MC values
  • there is also evidence that school with mainly WC pupils have less effective systems of parent-school contact which makes it more difficult for parents to keep in touch about their children’s progress
75
Q

What is material deprivation? (external factor)

A
  • the theory that WC families are much more likely to have low incomes or inadequate housing which can affect children’s education
76
Q

How does housing (external factor) hinder WC achievement in education? [2]

A
  • overcrowding: insufficient room for educational activities (eg study and homework), may lead to disturbed sleep due to sharing rooms with others)
  • lack of play space: impairs development
77
Q

How does diet and health (external factor) hinder WC achievement in education? [2]

A
  • poor nutrition: lower intakes of energy, affects their health and immune system
  • low energy levels: difficult to concentrate on class, develop more illnesses = absence from classes
78
Q

How does financial support (external factor) hinder WC achievement in education? [2]

A
  • lack of financial support: kids have to do without equipment / resources / technology so miss out on experiences that would enhance their educational achievement
  • correct uniform: resort to second hand, may be labelled negatively for it
79
Q

How does fear of debt (external factor) hinder WC achievement in education? [1]

A
  • university: getting into debt to cover the cost of tuition fees, books and living expenses, attitude towards debt may deter WC students from going to university and furthering their education
80
Q

What are the strengths of material deprivation? [1]

A
  • some WC clearly cannot afford necessities for school which explains why many do not succeed
81
Q

What are the limitations of material deprivation? [1]

A
  • while material factors clearly play a part in pupils’ achievement, the fact that some children from poor families do succeed suggests that material deprivation is only part of the explanation
82
Q

What does cultural capital mean? (external factor)

A
  • usually refers to wealth but in addition to economic means
83
Q

What are Pierre Bourdieu’s three factors which influence a pupils achievement in education?

A
  • ‘educational capital’ or qualifications
  • ‘cultural capital’ or values and beliefs held by different social groups
  • economic capital
  • Bourdieu argues that the MC general possess more of all three types of capital which is why they are more successful than the WC
84
Q

What is Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital?

A
  • capital refers to wealth but in addition to economic means
  • he has a marxist perspective towards the education system and saw it as an agent of social control for the benefit on capitalism
85
Q

What is Bourdieu’s theory of educational capital?

A
  • refers to the qualifications and knowledge that MC families possess that give children an advantage
86
Q

What was Sullivan’s research into cultural capital?

A
  • carried out a questionnaire survey
  • 465 pupils from 4 schools
  • asked them about a range of activities such as reading and watching TV and whether they visited art galleries, museums and theatres
  • she also tested their vocabulary and knowledge of cultural figures in order to assess their cultural capital
  • found that pupils who read fiction and watch documentaries developed a wider vocabulary and greater cultural knowledge, thus had a greater cultural capital
  • these tended to be children of university graduates and were more likely to be successful at GCSE’s
  • however, although successful pupils with greater cultural capital were more likely to be MC, she also found that this is only accounted for part of the class differences in achievement
  • where pupils of different classes had the same level of cultural capital, MC pupils still did better
  • she concluded that the greater resources and aspirations of MC families explain the class gap in achievement
87
Q

What are the strengths of Bourdieu and Sullivan’s research into cultural capital?

A
  • Bourdieu’s ideas, unlike cultural deprivation, acknowledge that WC people have culture
88
Q

What are the limitations of Bourdieu’s research into cultural capital?

A
  • Bourdieu over emphasises the importance of family activities and interests
  • too deterministic
89
Q

What are the links between the internal and external factors that influence social class differences in educational achievement? [2]

A
  • WC subcultures that are reinforced within the home may be linked to the pupil subcultures that develop within school
  • cultural deprivation such as WC using restricted code will influence how teachers view WC pupils (leads to labelling)

Sociology Paper 1 (8 decks)

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