Social Class Differences- External Factors

Question 1

Cultural deprivation

Answer 1

When students lack basic cultural equipment to do well in school

Question 2

3 aspects of cultural deprivation.

Answer 2

1- language
2- parents education
3- subcultures

Question 3

Bernstein

Answer 3

Speech codes
1). Elaborate code: used by middle class, wider vocab and longer grammatically complex sentences
2). Restricted code: used by working class, limited vocab, short unfinished sentences

Question 4

How does language impact educational achievement?

Answer 4

Middle class students already use elaborate code so at advantage as schools use elaborate code- restricted code students underperform as don’t have already set code

Question 5

Douglas

Answer 5

Working class parents placed less value on education so results in
- less ambitious for own children
- gave less encouragement
- took less interest
- visited schools less
- less likely discuss child’s progress with teachers

Question 6

How does parents education effect educational achievement?

Answer 6

Parents who don’t value education more likely let child miss school less likely try hard as don’t priotise education

Question 7

Feinstein

Answer 7

Parents own education is most importance factor affecting children’s achievement
1- parenting styles= less educated- inconsistent discipline prevents child from learning independence
2- parents educational behaviour= ed parents aware of what needed to assist children’s education progress
3- use of income= spend income in ways that promote children’s ed success, working class lack rea sources
4- class, income, parental education= better educated parents have children more successful at school- may explain why not al kids of w.c parents do equally bad

Question 8

Subculture

Answer 8

Group whose attitudes and values differ from mainstream culture

Question 9

Sugar man

Answer 9

4 barriers to educational success:
1). Fatalism= fate, whatever will be will be
2). Present time orientation= seeing present as more important than future. Middle class- future time orientation
3). Collectivism= value being part of group more than succeeding as individual
4). Immediate gratification= seeking pleasure rather than making sacrifices to get rewarded. Mid class- deterrred gratification, making sacrifices for greater reward

Question 10

Term: cultural capital (Bourdieu)

Answer 10

Refers to knowledge, attitudes, values, abilities of middle class

Question 11

How was cultural capital converted into educational capital?

Answer 11

Middle class children with cultural capital better equipped to meet demands of school so possess more educational capital

Question 12

How does economic capital convert nto educational capital ?

Answer 12

Wealthier parents paying for extraction, sending children to private school, middle class parents more likely afford houses in catchment area of good schools

Question 13

Beinstein- educational capital

Answer 13

Middle class children advantaged at school where abilities highly valued - knowledge of how to do well in school

Question 14

Sullivan

Answer 14

Found cultural capital only account for part of class differences in achievement. Pupils of different social classes had same cultural capital middle class still did better.

Question 15

Term: material deprivation

Answer 15

Poverty and lack of material necessities such as housing and income

Question 16

Statistics for material deprivation

Answer 16

• 1/3 pupils eligible for FSM achieve 5 or more GCSE’s at A* - C
• 90% of failing schools are in deprived areas
• exclusions and truancy are more likely for children from poorer families
• money problems are significant in children’s non attendance

Question 17

4 external factors in social class

Answer 17

1. Housing
2. Diet and health
3. Fear of debt
4. Financial support and cost of education

Question 18

Explanation of housing on educational success

Answer 18

INDIRECT:
- crowded homes- increase risk of accident
- cold/damp- illness
Leads to absences.
DIRECT:
- overcrowding- hard to study, less room for hw
- devel impaired for young child- no space to play
- temporary acc- move often- move schools

Question 19

Explaination of diet and health on educational success

Answer 19

• poor nutrition= weaker immune system- illness/ absences, less able concentrate
• poor homes= emotional and behavioural problems with high rates of hyperactivity

Question 20

Howard

Answer 20

Young people from poorer homes have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals

Question 21

Explaination of fear of debt on educational achievement

Answer 21

• going uni= getting into debt to cover tuition, books, living expenses
• 30% WC at uni
• drop out rates higher for unis with higher amount of WC

Question 22

Calendar and JAckson

Answer 22

Fear of debt
- WC students more debt adverse saw it as negative and to avoid. More costs than benefits

Question 23

Explaination of financial support and cost of ed on educational achievement

Answer 23

Poorer children- often have hand me down- bullied + stigmatised
Low income fams lack of money meant some children needed to take on jobs eg cleaning- neg impact on education

Question 24

Tanner

Answer 24

Financial support of cost of education
- cost of transport, books, computers, sports equipment place heavy burden on poor families

Question 25

Flaherty

Answer 25

Financial support and cost of education
- fear of stigmatisation is one of main reasons why only 20% of children entitled to free school meals actually take up

Question 26

Term: habitus

Answer 26

Middle class culture

Question 27

Evaluation of cultural deprivation

Answer 27

Keddie- myth of cultural deprivation
Children aren’t deprived of culture but are culturally different
Children fail bc school has middle class values- elaborate code

Question 28

Criticisms

Answer 28

• Keddie
• blackstone and mortimore
• compensatory education

Question 29

Blackstone and mortimore

Answer 29

• attend less parent evening bc work longer hours/ shift work and might have more children to look after
• put off by middle class atmosphere of school
• want to help but lack of knowledge how to do so
• schools with mainly WC children have less effective ways of contacting home