T2 | Class and achievement (internal) Flashcards
What is a stereotypes?
A stereotypes is a generalised oversimplified view of the features of a social group, allowing for few individual differences of group members.
What is labelling?
Refers to the process of defining a person or group in a certain way.
What is a halo effect?
A halo effect is when pupils become stereotypes, either favourably or unfavourably, on the basis of earlier impressions.
What are the internal factors to social class and achievement?
> Teacher expectations
Labelling and SFP
Setting and Streaming
Educational Triage
Anti-school subcultures
How does stereotyping and the halo effect work together to determine the educational success of pupils?
The stereotype held by the teacher (good/bad/thick/bright/normal/deviant student) can produce a halo effect.
This means that a teacher who has formed a good impression of a student may see them more favourably in other unrelated ways too. For instance, a “polite and helpful” child may be seen as bright and hardworking (even if they’re not), and therefore the teachers encourage and support them.
The opposite halo effect may also occur with a poor impression.
What did Harvey and Slatin (1975) find out about the expectations that teachers had on specific students?
> Harvey and Slatin (1975)
— Showed photographs to school teachers in Kentucky USA, of children from different ethnic and social-economic backgrounds.
— Teachers were asked to determine the educational achievement of each of those students.
They found that white, middle class children were identified as more likely to be successful students. White teachers had lower expectations for those from poorer and non-white backgrounds.
What did Gillborn (2011) find about teacher expectations and the ideal pupil ?
> Gillborn (2011)
— Found that the ‘idea pupil’ stereotype held by teachers also favours those who are white, and that many teachers simply do not see black children as likely to academic success.
— He found teachers denying opportunities to black children, especially Black Caribbean pupils, regardless of social class or gender as well as their ability or ambitions.
What is the Labelling & Self Fulfilling Prophecy?
It’s an interactionist theory that looks at the impact of interaction and communication between staff and pupils.
According to interactionist, ‘labels’ can affect a pupils educational achievement depending on its connotation.
How does the process of Labelling & SFP work?
The way teachers assess and evaluate students affects their pupil identities, and subsequently their achievement levels, as students may bring their own self-image in line with one that the teacher holds of them.
— Those labelled as ‘bright’ and as ‘ideal pupil’ who are more likely to be successful in education, are more likely to perform in line with the teacher’s expectation.
— Those labelled as ‘slow’ or ‘difficult’ or ‘low ability’ and unlikely to succeed are persuaded not to bother.
In both cases, the teacher’s predictions may come true. This suggests the difference between ‘bright’ and ‘slow’ or ‘good’ and ‘bad’ students, and the progress they make in school, is created by the processes of stereotyping and labelling.
What did Rosenthal and Jacobsen research about Labelling & SFP (1968)?
> Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968)
— Carried out research in California and provided useful evidence for the SPF.
They found that a randomly chosen group of students whom teachers were told were bright and could be expected to make good progress, even though they were no different from other students ability, did in fact make greater progress than students not labelled.
What is streaming vs setting?
> Streaming
+ Where, in schools, students are divided into groups of similar ability (bands or streams) in which they stay for all subjects.
> Setting
+ Where students are divided into groups (sets) of same ability in particular subjects.
What is the research carried out by Ball in Beachside Comprehensive (1981)?
> Ball : Beachside Comprehensive
Ball found that top-stream students were ‘warmed up’ by encouragement to achieve highly and to follow academic courses of study.
On the other hand, lower-stream students were ‘cooled-out’ and encouraged to follow lower status vocational and practical courses, and consequently achieved lower levels of academic success.
What effect does streaming have on students?
Streaming has been showed to damage self-esteem and self-confidence as well as has a negative impact on their educational aspirations and attainment.
What is an Educational Triage?
An Educational Triage refers to the way schools divide pupils into three groups:
- Those who are likely to succeed in exams (mainly 9-4 GCSE grades)
- Those who have a chance of succeeding if they get some extra help.
- Those who have little chances succeeding whatever is done.
The system is based heavily on stereotypes & presumption about pupils based on their appearance and perceived ability & this the working class are neglected.
What did Gillborn and Youdell find about Rationing Education / Educational Triage (2000)?
> Gillborn and Youdell (2000)
— Due to pressure from league tables and formula funding, schools / colleges are likely to ‘ration’ their time and resources towards the most able pupils - this creates an Educational Triage - a system where puls are separated into 3 groups (A-C Economy).
— This model is used by the armed forces when rationing medical care in war zones.
