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Social class and achievement - Coggle Diagram
Social class and achievement
External factors
Cultural deprivation
no being socialised with the values that are required to succeed in education
cultural deprivation theorists argue many working class families fail to socialise their children adequately; they will grow up cultural deprived = underachievenement
3 aspects of cultural deprivation; intellectual development, language, attitudes, and values
Intellectual development:
different social classes = different values
sociologists have identified middle class and working class subcultures can influence a child’s progress at school
sugarman identified working class subculture is fatalistic (accepting situation rather than improving it) focus on immediate gratification, present- time orientation/ middle class subcultures is non- fatalistic, deferred gratification = impacts attitude to education, exams and staying on to school
Douglas found that working class students scored lower on ability tests than middle class counterparts; was due to Woking class parents reading to their children less or doing other educational activities
Language:
Bernstein argued speaking, reading, writing and understanding are developed through discussion, negotiation and explanations within the family
he identified 2 types of lanaguge; restricted code & elaborated code
he argues schools require students to be proficient at the elaborated code of language; formal, explanation is required; essay writing skills, interviews, mainly used by middle class; middle class children possess an advantage over working class children because they are used to functioning with in an elaborated code = find school work easier
Rosen criticises this view and argues that it is a myth to suggest that middle class have superior language use
the restricted code is language used between friends and family; informal, ungrammatical w/ limited expalanation and vocabulary; tends to be used by the working class and middle class but working class are limited to this language use
Attitudes and values:
middle class parents understand the education system better as they themselves are better educated
lower working class parents may feel less confident in dealing with teachers at parents evenings, subject & exam choices
middle clas parents may know more about the the school exam system = better to advise children in subject choices/courses
possess the resources to buy the best educational books, games and attend cultural events that support learning. As a consequence, even before they get to school, middle class children may have learned more as a result of socialisation at home
Douglas found that the most important factor explaining a child’s success was parental involvement; this involved taking an interest and being encouraging at all age ranges
middle clsss parents would be interested in their child’s progress as they got older when exam options were taken and encouraged them to stay at school beyond the minimum leaving age
Bernstein and young concluded that middle class parents are more likely to buy toys that have an educational value and promote reasoning; skills that help to prepare their children for school
Criticisms:
keddie; cultural deprivation theory is a ‘myth’; it’s a victim-blaming view; argues that working-class children are culturally different, not deprived
Material deprivation
refers to poverty, lack of resources such as housing + income
close link between poverty and educational underachievemnt
link between poverty and social class; working class families are more likely to have low incomes, lack of essential resources
3 indicators for; housing, diet and health and financial costs
Diet and health:
poor diets/nutrition
weakening immune system needed to fight infections
impacts; poor levels of concentration, higher rates of absences from school, hyperactivity, anxiety, externalise behaviours, tantrums
social policy aimed to improve this; pupil bursary/EMA/EIC
Housing:
overcrowding, lack of space and temporary accommodation
impacts; children’s health/welfare poor, psychological stress, high levels of absences
social policy aimed to improve this is pupil bursary/ EMA
Financial costs:
lack of equipment, Miss out on opportunities, have cheaper equipment
impacts; stigma, bullying, isolation, low self-esteem, this eligible for free school meals do not take it, forced to work/negatively impacts studies , fear of debt(not going university)
social policy aimed to improve this; pupil bursary, EMA, EIC
Cultural capital
bourdieu argues there are 3 types of capital that contribute to educational achievement; cultural, educational and economic capital
argues that both material + cultural factors also contribute to educational achievement; parents sending their children to private schools; paying for extra tuition; economic resources that enable parents to buy advantages eg. a house in an area with a good school; is the knowledge, attitudes, values, languages, tastes and abilities of the middle- class
can be linked to Bernstein’s work on speech codes- the elaborated and restricted code
argued that teachers, textbooks, exam papers and middle class pupils share a different lanagauge code to working classs pupils this contributes to schools reproducing inequality
Cultural capital:
the knowledge, attitudes, values, language, tastes, and abilities of the middle- class children receive this throughspcialisation; they are more likely to develop an understanding of what the education system requires for success
= middle- class children do better in school because they have the abilities and interests which are valued by the education system. This system transmits the dominant middle- class culture which is seen as superior
Economic capital:
having the economic resources to buy equipment, houses in catchment areas of good schools which support educational success
= middle class parents are able to buy houses in areas where schools are high up on the league tables; knows as selection by mortgage (leech and campos)
Educational capital:
converting the gains of cultural and economic capital into educational advanatge
= some middle class parents are able to afford to pay for private tutors and private schools
Internal factors
Labelling
Self- fulfilling prophecy
Pupil subcultures
Impact of government policies
Pupil class identities