Topic 1 - Class Differences in Achievement (External)

Question 1

What is material deprivation?

Answer 1

The inability to afford basic resources

Question 2

What is cultural deprivation?

Answer 2

Deficiencies in-home/family backgrounds

Question 3

Examples of cultural deprivation

[3]

Answer 3

Primary Socialisation
Speech codes
Lack of cultural capital

Question 4

Examples of material deprivation

[3]

Answer 4

Overcrowding
Lack of heating
Poor nutrition -> Illness -> Absence (Howard)

Question 5

Cultural Dep: Bernstein (E)

Answer 5

Speech codes - restricted & elaborate

Disadvantages WC as MC students have elaborate code.

Question 6

Cultural Dep: Douglas (E)

Answer 6

Parents own views on education -> may undervalue education so mirrors in children

Question 7

Cultural Dep: Sugarmann (E)

Answer 7

4 aspects as barriers to achievement:

Fatalism, Collectivism, Immediate gratification, Present time orientation

Question 8

What is cultural capital?

Answer 8

Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success.

Question 9

Bourdieu (E)

Answer 9

Cultural capital -> MC better equipped to meet demands of school curriculum
Parents can convert cultural capital to economic capital e.g. sending kids to private school

Question 10

Links between external & internal factors [3]

Answer 10

• External linguistic differences - restricted & elaborate code
• Language within school takes form of elaborate code e.g. textbooks, exams
  Is it the schools fault for using elaborate code, or the parents for using restricted?
• Teachers may label students based on external factors e.g. family background, appearance - may be disruptive due to lack of nutrition.

Question 11

Why might w/c habitus affect school life? [2]

Answer 11

Habitus (norms, values, attitudes) come from family background

• Clash of habitus in schools - schools impose tastes & attitudes onto students
• Parents knowledge may have an impact on students achievement e.g. more knowledge on Shakespeare.

Question 12

Evaluating external factors [3]

Answer 12

Hard to fully divide factors up between in-school and out-of-school as both impact each other.

• Language codes for instance is really both an out-of-school and in-school factor as it relates both to how people speak at home and in school
• Anti-school subcultures might explain why working-class pupils underperform, but the question of why working-class pupils join them is more complex & must relate to external factors too

Question 13

What are the hidden costs of education?

Answer 13

• Books and toys are not bought, and computers are not available in the home
• Tuition fees and loans being harder to pay off