Topic 2 – Ethnic differences in achievement
External factors
Cultural Deprivation
Language
Bernstein identifies differences between working-class and middle-class language
that influence achievement. He distinguishes between two types of speech code the
restricted code and elaborated code. The restricted code is typically used by the
working class. It has a limited vocabulary and is based on the use of short, often
unfinished, grammatically simple sentences. Speech is predictable and may involve
only a single word, or even just a gesture instead. It is descriptive not analytic. The
elaborated code is typically used by the middle class. It has a wider vocabulary and is
based on longer, grammatically more complex sentences. Speech is more varied and
communicates abstract ideas. These differences in speech code give middle-class
children an advantage at school and put working class children at a disadvantage.
This is because the elaborated code is the language used by teachers, textbooks and
exams. Not only is it taken as the ‘correct’ way to speak and write, but in Bernstein’s
view it is also more effective tool for analysing and for expressing thoughts clearly
and effectively. Early socialisation into the elaborated code means that middle-class
children are already fluent users of the code when they start school. Thus, they feel
‘at home’ in school and are more likely to succeed. By contrast, working class lacking
the code are likely to feel excluded and to be less successful. Labov found that when
allowed to converse in language that children are comfortable with, they could
express sophisticated ideas. He interviewed black working-class children from
Harlem using a range of different interviewers with different linguistic styles. Thus,
this suggests that children are disadvantaged if they are forced to ‘fit in’ with the
dominant model of language use.
Family structure and parental support
Cultural deprivation theorists argue that this failure to socialise children adequately
is the result of a dysfunctional family structure. Moynihan argues that because many
black families are headed by a lone mother, their children are deprived of adequate
care because she must struggle financially in the absence of a male breadwinner.
The father’s absence also means that boys lack an adequate role model of male
achievement. Moyihan sees cultural deprivation as a cycle where inadequately
socialised children from unstable families go on to fail at school and become
inadequate parents themselves. This means that a high rate of lone parenthood and
lack of positive male role models. However, Driver criticises the cultural deprivation
theory for ignoring the positive effects of ethnicity on achievement. The black
Caribbean family could actually provide girls with positive role models of strong
independent women. He argues that this is why black girls tend to be more
successful in education than black boys.
Sewell: fathers, gangs and culture
External factors
Cultural Deprivation
Language
Bernstein identifies differences between working-class and middle-class language
that influence achievement. He distinguishes between two types of speech code the
restricted code and elaborated code. The restricted code is typically used by the
working class. It has a limited vocabulary and is based on the use of short, often
unfinished, grammatically simple sentences. Speech is predictable and may involve
only a single word, or even just a gesture instead. It is descriptive not analytic. The
elaborated code is typically used by the middle class. It has a wider vocabulary and is
based on longer, grammatically more complex sentences. Speech is more varied and
communicates abstract ideas. These differences in speech code give middle-class
children an advantage at school and put working class children at a disadvantage.
This is because the elaborated code is the language used by teachers, textbooks and
exams. Not only is it taken as the ‘correct’ way to speak and write, but in Bernstein’s
view it is also more effective tool for analysing and for expressing thoughts clearly
and effectively. Early socialisation into the elaborated code means that middle-class
children are already fluent users of the code when they start school. Thus, they feel
‘at home’ in school and are more likely to succeed. By contrast, working class lacking
the code are likely to feel excluded and to be less successful. Labov found that when
allowed to converse in language that children are comfortable with, they could
express sophisticated ideas. He interviewed black working-class children from
Harlem using a range of different interviewers with different linguistic styles. Thus,
this suggests that children are disadvantaged if they are forced to ‘fit in’ with the
dominant model of language use.
Family structure and parental support
Cultural deprivation theorists argue that this failure to socialise children adequately
is the result of a dysfunctional family structure. Moynihan argues that because many
black families are headed by a lone mother, their children are deprived of adequate
care because she must struggle financially in the absence of a male breadwinner.
The father’s absence also means that boys lack an adequate role model of male
achievement. Moyihan sees cultural deprivation as a cycle where inadequately
socialised children from unstable families go on to fail at school and become
inadequate parents themselves. This means that a high rate of lone parenthood and
lack of positive male role models. However, Driver criticises the cultural deprivation
theory for ignoring the positive effects of ethnicity on achievement. The black
Caribbean family could actually provide girls with positive role models of strong
independent women. He argues that this is why black girls tend to be more
successful in education than black boys.
Sewell: fathers, gangs and culture
