LABELLING

Question 1

Definition of labelling:

Answer 1

To label someone is to attach a meaning or definition to them

Question 2

What are pupils labelled on?

Answer 2

a. The basis of stereotyped assumptions about their class background, labelling working-class pupils negatively and middle-class pupils positively

Question 3

Define an interactionist/ the interactionist approach

Answer 3

Interationists study small-scale, face-to-face interactions between individuals, such as in the classroom or playground

Question 4

Becker (1971)

Answer 4

a. Interviews with 60 Chicago high school teachers
b. Becker found that they judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the ‘ideal pupil’
c. The factors affecting this image were:
- Pupils’ work
- Conduct
- Appearance

Question 5

Hempel-Jorgensen (2009)

Answer 5

a. Study of two English primary schools

b. Found that notions of the ideal pupil vary according to the social class make-up

Question 6

Largely Working Class Aspen primary school (HJ; 2009)

Answer 6

a. Staff said that discipline was a major problem
b. The ideal pupil was defined as quiet, passive and obedient
c. Children were defined in terms of their behaviour, not their ability

Question 7

Mainly Middle Class Rowan primary school (HJ; 2009)

Answer 7

a. The school had very few discipline problems
b. The ideal pupil was defined instead in terms of personality and academic ability, rather than as being a ‘non-misbehaving’ pupil, as at Aspen