class differences in achievement - labelling & self fulfilling prophecy

Question 1

What is labelling?

Answer 1

The process whereby teachers attach labels to students based on sterotyped assumptions of their class background - Becker

Eg; labelling w/c negatively & m/c possitively

Question 2

What did Becker find about labelling?

Answer 2

found that teacher’s would label pupils based on how close they came to fitting the image of the
‘ideal pupil’. The pupil’s work, appearance and conduct were key to influencing teacher’s judgements

Question 3

What did Dunne and Gazeley find about labelling in seconday school?

Answer 3

found that in 9 state secondary schools, teachers ‘normalised’ the underachievement of working-class pupils, and they felt like they could do nothing about it.

However they would overcome the underachievement of middle-class pupils.

This is because they labelled working-class parents as uninterested in their children’s education, but labelled middle-class parents as supportive.

Question 4

evaluation

How do Marxists criticise the labelling theory?

Answer 4

criticise the labelling theory for
ignoring the wider structures of power within which labelling takes place

Labelling theory
tends to blame teachers for labelling pupils, but fails to explain why they do so.

Marxists argue that labels are not merely the result of teachers’ individual prejudices, but
stem from the fact that teachers work in a system that reproduces class divisions

Question 5

prediction

What is self fulfilling prophercy and what do interactionists argue about it?

Answer 5

This is a prediction that comes true simply by virtue of it having been made. Interactionists argue that labelling can affect pupils’ achievement by creating a self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 6

How does a self fulfilling prophercy happen?

Answer 6

Step one: the teacher labels a pupil (e.g. intelligent) and on the basis of the label, makes predictions about him (e.g. she will make outstanding academic progress)

Step two: the teacher treats the pupil accordingly, acting as if the prediction is already true (e.g. give her more attention and expecting a higher standard of work)

Step three: the pupil internalises the teachers’ expectation, which becomes part of her self-concept or self-image so that she now becomes the kind of pupil the teacher believed her to be in the first place. She gains confidence, tries harder, and is successful. The prediction is fulfilled

Question 7

How else can a self fulfilling prohercy work?

Answer 7

If the teacher has low expectations of a pupil, and communicates these expectations in their interactions, these children may develop a negative self-concept. They may come to see themselves as failures and give up trying, thereby fulfilling the original prophecy