A Level Sociology – Education Unit:
Class Differences in Achievement – EXTERNAL FACTORS:
Cultural Deprivation – Language: Feinstein educated parents
language challenges children, praise encourages competence. Less
educated = simple, lower performance. Engelmann l/c language
deficient, fail to develop necessary language skills for school such as
explain or compare.
Speech Codes (Bernstein): Restricted = w/c, limited, simple,
predictable, context bound, assumes listener shares same set of
experiences. Elaborated = m/c, complex, varied, abstract, context free.
Used in school – early socialisation w/c feel excluded, school fails to teach
elaborate code.
Parent’s Education: Douglas w/c less value, less ambitious and
encouragement less likely to visit school, children low motivation and
achievement.
Parenting Style: educated consistent discipline and high expectations,
active learning. Less educated, harsh discipline, prevents
independence/self-control so poorer motivation.
Parent’s Educational Behaviours: educated aware of needs for
progress, help with homework etc, good relationship with teachers, value
of activities.
Use of Income: Bernstein & Young m/c mum buys educational toys
and books, encourages skills and stimulates intellectual development –
w/c lack resources.
W/C Subculture: Sugarman – 4 Barriers to Achievement:
Fatalism – fate, can’t change status
Collectivism – group > individual value
Immediate gratification – pleasure now > sacrifice for future
Present time orientation – present > future, w/c less secure, fewer
opportunities.
Compensatory Education: Operation Head Start – improve parenting
skills, nursery, Sure Start etc.
X Victim blaming, challenge anti w/c prejudices. Education = m/c =
disadvantage. Attend fewer parent’s evenings because school has m/c
atmosphere. Lack knowledge to help.
Material Deprivation: 1/3 FSM pupils 5+ GCSE’s, money problems =
low attendance, exclusion/truancy, 1/3 no qualifications. 90% failing
schools in deprived areas. Housing – overcrowding, disturbed sleep, lack
of space, ill health etc. Diet/Health – lower intakes, difficult
, concentration, emotional problems. Financial support/educational
costs – equipment, trips, hand-me-downs, bullied, 20% don’t take up
FSM. Low income need to work = low school attainment. Fear of debt –
debt averse, 5x less likely to apply to uni, increasing fees.
Cultural Capital: Bourdieu knowledge, attitudes, values etc of m/c.
Intellectual interests rewarded with qualifications, education dominant in
m/c culture. W/c give up – school devalues w/c culture so fail.
Educational/economic capital – m/c better equipped, m/c send children
to private schools, selection by mortgage, excludes w/c.
Class Differences in Achievement – INTERNAL FACTORS:
- Labelling: label pupils based on stereotyped assumptions, judged by
ideal pupil. Dunne & Gazeley w/c underachievement, underestimate
potential (secondary school), appearance/background separate groups
(primary school).
- Self-fulfilling prophecy: label pupil, treat accordingly, internalise
expectation Rosenthal & Jacobsen 20% random spurters, 47%
progressed. Conveyed beliefs attention, interactions etc, make pupils into
that type.
- Streaming: w/c low expectations so low stream, locked in = sfp.
Gillborn & Youdell w/c + black = low tier, widens gap, streaming policy
of exam league tables creates A-C economy, focus on potential students
to boost position. Educational triage – pass anyway, borderline
potential, hopeless. Sort by stereotypical views, market policies affect
micro-level processes.
- Pupil Subcultures: Lacey differentiation (streaming). Polarisation –
move to pro/anti school. Pro – high streams, remain committed , status
through academic success. Anti – low streams, invert school values, gain
status among peers, e.g. truancy. Boys = triple failures, failed 11+, lower
stream, worthless.
Abolish streaming: Ball basis to polarise removed. Inequalities continue
as result of labelling. ERA more streaming = more opportunities to
differentiate.
Pupil responses: ingratiation (teacher’s pet), ritualism (out of trouble),
retreatism (muck about), rebellion (rejection).
X Deterministic – inevitably fail (label). Ignore wider structures – why
label?
Class Identities & School:
Class Differences in Achievement – EXTERNAL FACTORS:
Cultural Deprivation – Language: Feinstein educated parents
language challenges children, praise encourages competence. Less
educated = simple, lower performance. Engelmann l/c language
deficient, fail to develop necessary language skills for school such as
explain or compare.
Speech Codes (Bernstein): Restricted = w/c, limited, simple,
predictable, context bound, assumes listener shares same set of
experiences. Elaborated = m/c, complex, varied, abstract, context free.
Used in school – early socialisation w/c feel excluded, school fails to teach
elaborate code.
Parent’s Education: Douglas w/c less value, less ambitious and
encouragement less likely to visit school, children low motivation and
achievement.
Parenting Style: educated consistent discipline and high expectations,
active learning. Less educated, harsh discipline, prevents
independence/self-control so poorer motivation.
Parent’s Educational Behaviours: educated aware of needs for
progress, help with homework etc, good relationship with teachers, value
of activities.
Use of Income: Bernstein & Young m/c mum buys educational toys
and books, encourages skills and stimulates intellectual development –
w/c lack resources.
W/C Subculture: Sugarman – 4 Barriers to Achievement:
Fatalism – fate, can’t change status
Collectivism – group > individual value
Immediate gratification – pleasure now > sacrifice for future
Present time orientation – present > future, w/c less secure, fewer
opportunities.
Compensatory Education: Operation Head Start – improve parenting
skills, nursery, Sure Start etc.
X Victim blaming, challenge anti w/c prejudices. Education = m/c =
disadvantage. Attend fewer parent’s evenings because school has m/c
atmosphere. Lack knowledge to help.
Material Deprivation: 1/3 FSM pupils 5+ GCSE’s, money problems =
low attendance, exclusion/truancy, 1/3 no qualifications. 90% failing
schools in deprived areas. Housing – overcrowding, disturbed sleep, lack
of space, ill health etc. Diet/Health – lower intakes, difficult
, concentration, emotional problems. Financial support/educational
costs – equipment, trips, hand-me-downs, bullied, 20% don’t take up
FSM. Low income need to work = low school attainment. Fear of debt –
debt averse, 5x less likely to apply to uni, increasing fees.
Cultural Capital: Bourdieu knowledge, attitudes, values etc of m/c.
Intellectual interests rewarded with qualifications, education dominant in
m/c culture. W/c give up – school devalues w/c culture so fail.
Educational/economic capital – m/c better equipped, m/c send children
to private schools, selection by mortgage, excludes w/c.
Class Differences in Achievement – INTERNAL FACTORS:
- Labelling: label pupils based on stereotyped assumptions, judged by
ideal pupil. Dunne & Gazeley w/c underachievement, underestimate
potential (secondary school), appearance/background separate groups
(primary school).
- Self-fulfilling prophecy: label pupil, treat accordingly, internalise
expectation Rosenthal & Jacobsen 20% random spurters, 47%
progressed. Conveyed beliefs attention, interactions etc, make pupils into
that type.
- Streaming: w/c low expectations so low stream, locked in = sfp.
Gillborn & Youdell w/c + black = low tier, widens gap, streaming policy
of exam league tables creates A-C economy, focus on potential students
to boost position. Educational triage – pass anyway, borderline
potential, hopeless. Sort by stereotypical views, market policies affect
micro-level processes.
- Pupil Subcultures: Lacey differentiation (streaming). Polarisation –
move to pro/anti school. Pro – high streams, remain committed , status
through academic success. Anti – low streams, invert school values, gain
status among peers, e.g. truancy. Boys = triple failures, failed 11+, lower
stream, worthless.
Abolish streaming: Ball basis to polarise removed. Inequalities continue
as result of labelling. ERA more streaming = more opportunities to
differentiate.
Pupil responses: ingratiation (teacher’s pet), ritualism (out of trouble),
retreatism (muck about), rebellion (rejection).
X Deterministic – inevitably fail (label). Ignore wider structures – why
label?
Class Identities & School:
