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Class differences in achievement external factors. - Coggle Diagram
Class differences in achievement external factors.
Cultural derivation
Parents education
Douglas (1964)
concluded that w/c parents place less value on education. As a result they were less ambitious for their children, gave them less encouragement and took less interest in their education
Leon Feinstein (2008)
parents' own education levels are the most important factor affecting children's achievement, since m/c parents tend to have higher qualifications they tend to give their kids an advantage and socialise them
Parenting Style:
Educated parents have consistent discipline and high expectations of their children, supporting their achievement through exploration
Less educated parents’ have harsh or inconsistent discipline and “doing as they’re told” which prevents the child from gaining independence and self-control which leads to poorer motivation at school and problems interacting with teachers
Parents educational behaviours:
Educated parents are more aware of what their child needs to progress further in their education
Educated parents are also able to get advice on childrearing and can establish better relationships with teachers. These parents also see the educational value of activities such as visits to museums and libraries.
Bernstein and Young (1967)
Middle class mothers are more likely to buy educational toys, books and activities to encourage reasoning skills as well as stimulate intellectual development.
Working class homes are more likely to lack these resources and means children from these homes start school without intellectual skills needed to progress
Educated parents are also more likely to understand nutrition and its importance in child development, and have a higher income to buy more nutritious food.
Working class subcultures
Barry Sugarman (1970)
argues that a working-class subculture has 4 key features that act as a barrier to educational achievement
These beliefs and values are passed on through parents to their children through primary socialization the children internalize them and this results in them underachieving
Present time orientation
- seeing the present as more important than the future and so not having long term goals or plans
Immediate gratification
- seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in order to get rewards in the future
Collectivism
- valuing being a part of a group more than succeeding as an individual.
Fatalism
- that 'whatever will be will be' and there's nothing you can do to change your status
Speech codes
Basil Bernstein (1975):
identified differences between w/c and m/c language that influences achievement
The Restricted code
speech that is typically used by the w/c. It has limited vocabulary and is based on the use of short, often unfinished grammatically, simple sentences
The elaborated code
typically used by the m/c. it has a wider vocabulary and is based on longer, grammatically complex sentences. Speech is much more varied and communicates abstract ideas.
Elaborated code is used by the teachers, in textbooks and in exams - it is more of an effective tool for analysing and reasoning and expressing thoughts more clearly
early socialisation into the elaborated code means that the m/c are fluent users of the coder when they start school therefore having an advantage
Compensatory education
programmes aim to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation by providing extra resources to schools and communities in deprived areas. They intervene early in socialisation to compensate for the deprivation children experience at home
Operation Head Start in the US was introduced in poorer areas in the 1960s and was the “planned enrichment” of deprived children’s environment to develop skills and achievement motivation.
It also included improving parenting skills, setting up nursery classes and home visit by educational psychologists.
Sesame Street was part of Head Start and transmitted values, attitudes and skills needed for educational success
Education Action Zones and Sure Start in 2000s
Material deprivation
Housing
Overcrowding can have a direct affect making it harder to study and less room for educational activities nowhere to do homework. Younger children development can be impaired through lack of space for safe play and exploration.
Can also have indirect effect, notably through the child health and welfare. For example, children in crowded homes run a greater risk of accidents. Cold or damp housing can cause ill health
Diet and Health
Marilyn Howard (2001)
notes that young people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals. poor nutrients affects health eg by weakening the immune system and lowering the child's energy levels. This may result in more absences from school due to illness, and difficulties concentrating in class
Richard Wilkinson (1996)
among ten year olds, the lower the social class, the higher the rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders, all of which are likely to have a negative impact on the childs education
Blandin and Machin (2007):
Found children from low income families were more likely to engage in fighting or temper tantrums which are likely to disrupt their schooling
Lack of financial support
David Bull (1980)
Lack of financial support means that children from poorer families miss out on experiences that would enhance educational achievement.
Calls this “the costs of free schooling”.
Tanner et al (2003)
Found the cost of items such as transport, uniforms, books, computers, calculators, and sports, music and art equipment, places a heavy burden on poor families.
Poor children then have to make do with hand me downs and cheaper, unfashionable equipment and so can be isolated, stigmatised or bullied by their peers
Fear of debt
Callender and Jackson (2005)
From a survey of nearly 2000 students, they found that working class students are debt averse and see it as something to be avoided.
They also saw more costs than benefits to university.
The attitude to debt was important in deciding whether to apply to university.
The most averse students were over 5x less likely to apply than most debt tolerant students.
Going to university usually involves getting into debt trying to cover the cost of tuition fees, books and living expenses. Attitudes towards debt can deter working class students from going to university
The National Union for Students
Working class students who go to uni are less likely to receive financial support from their families.
In a survey of 3,863 students, they found 81% from the highest social class received help from home opposed to 43% from the lowest class
Fear of debt and limited financial support explain why only 30% of university students come from the working class even though they account for 50% of the population.
Diane Reay (2005):
Financial factors also restrict working-class students’ choice of uni and chances of success.
Reay found working class students were more likely to apply to local unis sothey could live at home and save on travel but they had less opportunities to go to the highest status unis
They were also more likely to work part time to fund their studies so it was difficult for them to gain higher class degrees
Cultural Capital (Pierre Bourdieu)
Argues both cultural and material factors contribute to educational achievement and are interrelated. He uses the concept of “capital” to explain why the middle class are more successful
Educational / economic capital
M/c children with cultural capital are better equipped to meet the demands of the school curriculum and gain qualifications
Wealthier parents can convert economic capital into educational capital and send their children to private schools
Cultural capital
knowledge, attitudes, values, language, tastes and abilities of the middle class. He sees middle class culture as a type of capital because it gives an advantage to those who possess it.
through socialisation, middle class children are able to grasp, analyse and express abstract ideas. They are more likely to develop intellectual interests and understand what the educational system needs for success. This give them an advantage in school where these abilities and interests are valued and rewarded with qualifications.
The education system is not neutral but favours middle class culture. However, working class children find that schools devalue their culture as “rough” and inferior. Their lack of cultural capital leads to exam failure. Working class students feel that education is not meant for them and respond by truanting,leaving early or just not trying.
A test of Bourdieu's ideas - Sullivan
Conducted a survey of 465 pupils across 4 schools
To assess cultural capital she asked them about their range of activities such as reading, TV viewing habits and whether they visited art galleries, museums and theatres as well as their vocabulary and knowledge of cultural figures
found pupils who read complex fiction and watched TV documentaries had a wider vocabulary and greater cultural knowledge
pupils with the greatest cultural capital were children of graduates and were more likely to be successful at GCS
Successful pupils with greater cultural capital were more likely to be middleclass, but she found that cultural capital only accounted for part of the difference in class achievement.
Criticisms
Cultural Capital
Blackstone and Mortimore (1994):
argues that w/c parents attend fewer parents evenings not due to lack of interest but because they work longer hours
They may want to help their children progress but lack the knowledge and education to do so
Neil Keddie (1973):
argues that w/c kids are culturally different not deprives and that a child cannot be deprived of its own culture. They fail the education system because its dominated by m/c values
Gillian Evans (2006):
notes that most want their children to do well at school because they know it'll lead to a better job