Theorists external factors

Question 1

Bernstein - Language Codes

Answer 1

educational achievement is highly dependant on 2 language codes:
- elaborative = verbally expressive communication, considered formal, associated with m/c
- restricted = limited and implicit language commonly associated with w/c
–> gives m/c advantages as elaborative code is utilised within the education system e.g. textbooks, exams, essays, teachers

Question 2

Labov

Answer 2

criticises Bernstein, concluding speed patterns aren’t inferior but different.
- m/c may give precise details
- w/c gets straight to the point.
–> language codes may be switched depending on social settings and interactions between specific people.

Question 3

Material Deprivation

Answer 3

= Poverty and material capital
- material factors involve resources available to families directly related to their income
–> poverty directly linked to educational underachievement.

Question 4

Halsey, Heath and Ridge

Answer 4

argued material factors play a larger part in students differential attainment than culture factors.
- housing ( overcrowding, temporary housing, health )
- diet and health
- hidden costs in education ( trips, uniform, resources, equipment )

Question 5

Bourdieu - Cultural Capital

Answer 5

Marxists theory argues that both material and cultural capital contribute to achievement.
- traditionally capital = wealth, to Bourdieu it means:
- economic capital = wealth
- cultural capital = knowledge, values
- educational capital = qualifications
–> argues m/c has it all therefore working at an advantage.

Question 6

Habitus - Bourdieu arguement

Answer 6

argues each social class possess their own cultural frameworks / set of ideas
- called habitus

Question 7

Hyman and Sugarman - Subculture values

Answer 7

study looked at different values between classes.
- values of w/c create a ‘self-imposed’ barrier.
- w/c have lower values/expectations to education unlike m/c
- emphasise ‘immediate gratification’ in w/c culture.
–> w/c likely to drop out/straight to employment - immediate reward ( money )

Question 8

Immediate Gratification

Answer 8

Sugarman ( 1970 ) has 4 features of w/c subculture that act as a barrier to academic achievement.
- fatalism = belief in faith
- collectivism = belonging in a group
- immediate gratification
- present-time orientation = present more important than future
–> these beliefs and ideas are primary socialised through parents.

Question 9

Douglas - Parental Attitudes

Answer 9

study concludes the most important factor regarding educational achievements is the degree of parental encouragement, interest and involvement.
- claimed w/c parents care less about children’s education.

Question 10

Blackstone and Mortimore

Answer 10

argues w/c parents have more responsibilities which restrict their attention on their children’s education.
external factors like:
- lower cultural capital
- working long hours/overnight
- childcare issues
- language barriers
- young careers

Question 11

Raey

Answer 11

highlights the fact that cultural explanations have a ‘blame the victim’ approach.
- places w/c students to blame for their under-achievement on ‘deficient culture’

Question 12

Keddie

Answer 12

argues there’s no cultural deprivation but cultural differences
- schools need to adapt to these differences to allow ethnic pupils to have a equal chance at education
- ignores schools role ( internal factors )