T2 | Class and achievement (external)

Question 1

What is a social class?

Answer 1

A group who share a similar economic or social situation.

Question 2

What is Material Deprivation?

Answer 2

Poverty and a lack of economic necessities needed for educational success.

Question 3

What is Cultural Capital?

Answer 3

The knowledge, attitudes, values, languages, tastes and abilities of the middle class.

Question 4

What are the key differences between the working and middle class?

Answer 4

> Working class
— Manual occupations
— Low pay
— Eg. plumbers, lorry drivers or cleaners

> Middle class
— Non-manual occupations rather more professional careers
— Earn high pay / salary
— Eg. professionals such as doctors or teachers

Question 5

1. What is cultural deprivation?

Answer 5

Lack of correct norms and values necessary for educational success

Question 6

What are the 3 cultural deprivation factors affecting class differences in achievement?

Answer 6

1. Language
2. Parents’ education
3. Working class subculture

Question 7

What are key statistics about cultural deprivation in comparison to achievement?

Answer 7

> Centre of Longitudinal Study (2017)
— Found that by the age of 3, children from a working class background are already one year behind those from a privileged background.

Some sociologists believe that this is because working class children do not acquire the norms, values, attitudes and skills needed for educational success during primary socialisation in the family.
— Eg. language, self-discipline and reasoning skills

Question 8

How many language differentiate between social classes?

Answer 8

Lower class homes are seen to be ‘deficient’
— Often using hand gestures, slang words and disjointed phrases to communicate.

Consequently, this results in children developing necessary language, growing up incapable of abstract thinking and being able to use language to effectively explain, describe or compare.

Question 9

What did differences did Bernstein (1975) highlight about language?

Answer 9

> Bernstein (1975)
— He identified two different types of speech code between working and middle class:

1. The restricted code - wc
   + Limited vocabulary, use of short unfinished, grammatically simple sentences.
   + Effective communication is limited.
   + Effective communication is not possible
2. The elaborated code - mc
   + Longer, more grammatically complex sentences
   + Speech is more varied and language is used to spell out meanings explicitly for listeners.

Question 10

How do the different modes of speaking (elaborate and restricted code) impact students?

Answer 10

The difference in speech gave middle class children an advantage at school.
+ This is because the elaborated code is language used by teachers, textbooks and exams.
+ It is also seen as the ‘correct way to speak’, as it is used for reasoning and expressing thoughts clearly.

As middle class children are exposed to the elaborate code during primary socialisation, they are already fluent when they start school. They feel ‘at home’ in school.

Working class children, on the other hand, are likely to feel excluded as they lack the code.

Question 11

EVALUATION : LANGUAGE

Answer 11

CRITICISM
— Critics argue that Bernstein describes working class speech as inadequate and he fails to look at the variation of codes within the classes.

CRITICISM
— Interactionists would argue that the working class pupils fail not because they are culturally deprived, but because schools fail to teach them how to use the elaborated code.

CRITICISM
— Troyna & Williams believe that it is not the students language, but the schools attitude towards it.
— Teachers have a speech ‘hierarchy’, where they place middle-class speech the highest.

Question 12

2. What is another factor that cultural deprivation theorists claim could affect a child’s achievement?

Answer 12

Cultural deprivation theorists argue that parents’ attitudes towards education are a key factor that can affect a child’s achievement.

Question 13

What does Douglas (1964) say about parents’ education affecting children’s performance at school?

Answer 13

> Douglas - Attitudes & Values
— Working class parents valued education less and are less ambitious for their children
— They encourage them less and take less interest in their child’s education.
— They visited schools less often and were less likely to discuss their child’s progress with teachers.

Question 14

What does Feinstein (2008) argue about parents’ education?

Answer 14

> Feinstein (2008)
— Supported Douglas
— Argues that parents’ own education is the most important factor affecting children’s achievement
— Middle class parents are typically more educated, they have an advantage when it comes to socialising their children.

Question 15

How does parenting style differ in educated and non-educated parents?

Answer 15

Educated parents’ parenting style emphasises consistent discipline and high expectations, which encourages active learning and exploration.

Less educated parents’ parenting style was harsh and inconsistent discipline that emphasised “doing as you’re told” and “behaving yourself”
— This prevents the child from learning independence and self-control, leading to poorer motivation at school.

Question 16

How does parents’ education impact their attitude towards school?

Answer 16

Educated parents are more aware of what they need to do to support their children. Therefore, they are more likely to read to them, paint with them, teach them letters and numbers, help them with homework etc.
— They also recognised the importance of educational trips eg. Museums and libraries
— They were better at establishing a good relationship with teachers

Question 17

How is income impacted by parents’ education and how may this affect a child’s educational achievement?

Answer 17

Educated parents’ have a higher income and invest into their children’s education.

> Bernstein and Young (1976)
— Found middle class mothers are more likely to buy educational toys, books and activities that encourage reasoning skills and stimulate intellectual development.
— They also have a better understanding of nutrition

Working class mothers are more likely to lack the resources to get these things so their children start school without the intellectual skills needed to progress.

Question 18

3. What is the final cultural factor pointing at why children from different backgrounds achieve different educational success?

Answer 18

Working class subculture.

Question 19

What does Sugarman (1970) argue about working class subculture?

Answer 19

> Sugarman (1970)
— He argues that working class subculture has four key features that act as an educational barrier:

1. Fatalism
   + A belief that ‘whatever will be, will be’ and there is nothing you can do to change your status.
   + Middle class people disagree and believe you can change your position with hard work.
2. Collectivism
   + Valuing being part of the group more than succeeding as an individual.
   + Middle class believe that an individual should not be held back by group loyalties.
3. Immediate Gratification
   + Seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices to get rewards in the future.
   + Middle class values emphasise deferred gratification, making sacrifices now for rewards later.
4. Present time orientation
   + Seeking the present as more important than the future and so not having long term goals planned.

Question 20

Where does Sugarman (1970) say that these values come from?

Answer 20

> Sugarman (1970) ; continued…
— Argues that differences in values stream from the fact that middle class jobs are secure, offering more prospects from continuous individual achievement. This encourages long term planning and motivation.
— Working class often experience insecurity in the workplace with few promotion opportunities or long term goals.

Question 21

TOTAL RECAP OF CULTURAL FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT BETWEEN CLASS

Answer 21

1. LANGUAGE

— Bernstein (1975)
+ Elaborated code; mc
+ Restricted code; wc

2. PARENTS’ EDUCATION

— Douglas (1964) - Attitude
+ Working class parents’ value education less and are less ambitious, encourage them less and have a lower interest
+ Working class parents’ visited schools less often to discuss their child’s progress with teachers

— Feinstein (2008) - Education
+ Middle class parents’ are typically more educated, they have an advantage when it comes to socialising their children.

— Bernstein and Young (1967) - Income
+ Middle class mothers are more likely to buy educational toys, books and activities that encourage reasoning skills and stimulate intellectual development
+ Middle class mothers have a better understanding of nutrition

3. WORKING CLASS SUBCULTURE

— Sugarman (1970)
+ Working class subculture has 4 features that act as an educational barrier:
+ Fatalism - ‘whatever will be, will be’
+ Collectivism - part of a group = more important than personal success
+ Immediate Gratification - pleasure now rather han future success
+ Present time orientation - no long term goals