1.1.3 External explanations Flashcards
(23 cards)
What do sociologists who focus on external factors do?
-Emphasise the influence of home, culture & wider society
- Develop a macro-level of analysis & structural explanation of the social class gap in educational achievement.
What are theories of material deprivation?
- Linked to economic poverty.
- A lack of finance in WC homes means children are deprived of resources that encourage educational progress,
What are some examples of material deprivation?
- No/little access to technology.
- No access to textbooks.
- No access to revision resources.
- Not being able to afford uniform, shoes, bags, tutors & stationary.
How is poverty closely linked to educational underachievement?
- 40% of failing schools are in the poorest, most deprived areas.
-Children from WC backgrounds are more likely to be excluded from school - Lower ambition is correlated with poverty.
How can housing affect achievement?
- It can affect pupil directly & indirectly.
- Overcrowding may make it harder to study & sleep may be disturbed from sharing rooms.
- Young kids may have impaired development due to lack of space for safe play.
- There may be more accidents/illness, a cold or damp house may be a cause.
How can diet & health affect achievement?
- Howard (2001) noted that children from poor homes have a lower energy intake.
- Poor nutrition weakens immune systems & lowers energy levels.
- There may be more absences & lower concentration.
- Wilkinson (1996) said the lower the social class, the higher the hyperactivity/conduct disorders.
- Blanden & Machin (2007) found lower income kids are more likely to engage in externalising behaviour such as fighting.
How can finances impact achievement?
- Bull (1980) says kids have to do without enhancing equipment & experiences referred to as ‘the cost of schooling’.
- Tanner et al (2003) found that cost of items were a financial burden on poor families.
- Ridge (2002) found that children in poverty are more likely to take on jobs which impacts school.
- Callender & Jackson (2005) claim that WC pupil saw more costs that benefits to university.
What are some critiques of material deprivation theory?
- Some children from poor families succeed suggesting material deprivation is only part of the explanation.
- For a number of years, government shave attempted to overcome material deprivation by introducing programmes e.g. sure start, the sutton trust & pupil premium.
What are theories of cultural deprivation?
- Linked to the home, cultural background & parental values.
- As a result of socialisation patterns, parents aren’t encouraging kids to value school.
- Working class culture is viewed as inadequate.
What are examples of cultural deprivation?
- Lack of support & interest in childrens studies.
- Avoiding parents evening or meetings.
- Not providing opportunities or activities that provide intellectual stimulation.
What are the 3 main aspects of cultural deprivation?
- Intellectual development.
- Attitudes & values.
- Language
What is intellectual development?
- The development of thinking & reasoning skill e.g. problem solving.
- Cultural deprivation theorists argue WC homes lack the materials to stimulate a childs intellectual development.
What did the longitudinal study ‘ The home & the school’ by Douglas (1964) show about intellectual development?
- 77% of UMC pupil gained good O-level results.
- 37% of LWC pupil gained good O-level grades.
- The social class differences in results for lower ability students were even greater.
- Middle class children are more likely to receive greater attention from parents.
What is meant by attitudes and values when regarding cultural deprivation?
- Cultural deprivation theorists argue parents attitudes & values are a key factor in achievement.
- Douglas argues parental intrest was the most significant factor in educational progress.
- Hyman (1967) found values of the WC create a self-imposed barrier to educational & career success.
What are Sugarmans (1970) key 4 features that act as a barrier to educational achievement in WC subculture?
- Present time orientation compared to MC future time orientation.
- Immediate gratification compared to MC deferred gratification.
- Fatalism ( belief that everything is already predetermined) compared to WC activism.
- Collectivism compared to WC individualism.
What does Sugarman (1970) claim about WC and MC occupations in relation to cultural deprivation?
- MC jobs are secure careers offering advancements which is directly in contrast to WC jobs.
- These values are internalised and passed on through generations.
- WC subculture values clash within the education system.
What is the importance is language in relational to cultural deprivation?
- Bereiter and Englemenn (1966) claim language used in MC homes is deficient so children fail to develop necessary language skills.
- Speech can impact our capacity to articulate our understanding.
What socio-linguist theory was developed by Bernstein (1975)?
- There is the restricted code & the elaborated code.
- The elaborated code is what is used in education so its vital for success however it is not taught.
- MC children are already fluent is this code where as WC lack the code so they feel more excluded.
What are some critiques of cultural deprivation theory?
- Nell keddie (1973) describes it as a myth arguing a child cannot be deprived of its own culture, instead they fail due to an education system dominated by MC values.
- Troyna and Williams (1986) critique the view that WC is restricted but thats not the problem, the problem is schools attitude towards it.
What are theories of cultural capital?
- The knowledge, attitudes, values, tastes & abilities of the MC.
- This is gained through socialisation.
- MC culture is a type of capital as it gives an advantage to those who possess it as its valued by the education system.
What are examples of cultural capital?
- Reading with children.
- Going on educational trips.
- Learning to play classical instruments.
- Going on holidays abroad.
What was the distinctive cultural explanation for attainment between social classes developed by French Marxist Bourdieu (1977)?
- Social & cultural inequalities are transferred between generations.
- He places responsibility on the class and the education system.
- He sees class culture as capital due to the advantages it brings.
- His primary argument is that the education system reproduces dominant culture & the class system.
What are critiques of cultural capital theory?
- The theory undermines pupil who lack cultural capital & still achieve high.
- Many schools/teachers value WC pupil & their culture.
- Schools try to address a lack of cultural capital by providing opportunities to pupil.
