Class Flashcards
AO1-Labelling (In School)
Becker-He interviewed 60 teachers from Chicago schools and found that they tended to be more likely to identify students from non-manual backgrounds as the ideal pupil than those from manual WC backgrounds. Hempel-Jorgensen found that the ideal pupil depends on the main group in the school e.g. in WC schools the ideal pupil is passive and obedient. Rosenthall and Jacobson tested the IQ of pupils and selected a random 20% to label as spurters who after a year had improoved the most showing how teacher labelling can result in a self-fullfilling prophecy.
AO1-Setting and streaming (In school)
Stephen Ball-He examined a comprehensive school and found that students were placed in : Band 1-ideal pupil (non-manual, mc), Band 2, or Band 3-worst pupils (manual, wc). Due to teacher expectations the bands were taught differently. This means that the wc are disadvantaged by setting and streaming as they are more likely to be put in the lower band, negatively affecting their educational achievement.
AO1-Subcultures (In school)
A subculture is a groupd of people who share the same values. They often emerge as a response to labelling and setting and streaming. There are pro-school and anti-school subcultures. Lacey argues this is due to differentiation-the process of teachers categorizing pupils according to perceived ability eg setting and streaming, and polarisation-the process in which pupils respond to streaming by moving to pro or anti school.
AO1-Willis’ study (In school)
Willis studied 12 wc boys in an anti-school subculture. They saw through the hidden curriculum with the myth of meritocracy and didn’t go to lessons but smoked instead.
AO1-Marketisation-A to C economy (In school)
Marketisation policies create competition and choice which makes mc students more desirable to the best schools as they tend to achieve better results and wc students then have to go to underperforming schools. Gillborn and Youdell-League tables create an A to C economy in which schools focus their time, effort, and resources on the pupils seen to have the highest potential to achieve 5 GCSEs which will boost their position in the league tables. These are usually mc students.
AO1-Marketisation-Educational triage (In school)
The educational triage is created because of the A to C economy due to marketisation policies like league tables. Students are categorised into top ability (little support), mid ability (extra support), and low ability (no support). Mid ability students (mc) are given the most support as they are close to achieving 5s to boost league tables whereas low ability students (wc) are doomed to fail as they are put in bottom sets with no support.
AO1-Marketisation-Cream skimming (In school)
Bartlett-Marketisation causes cream skimming. This is when schools select mc students as they know these pupils are likely to get the best results which will boost the league tables and attract more mc students. Wc students must go to the worst performing schools so results don’t improve.
AO1-Marketisation-Silt shifting (In school)
Barlett-Marketisation causes silt shifting. This is when students with learning difficulties or from wc backgrounds are dismissed because they cost more to teach. Grammar schools make students take 11+ entrance exams and house prices are much more expensive in the catchment area for the schools. This benefits the mc as they can pay for tutors and aford these houses.
AO3-Labelling (In school)
Fuller’s study found that this is not always the case and you can self-negate the label rather than accepting it
AO3-Setting and streaming (In school)
Functionalist argue schools don’t put students into sets based on father’s occupation but meritocracy (ability and effort) so the system is fair
AO3-Marketisation-A to C economy, Educational triage, Cream skimming and Silt shifting (In school)
Marketisation policies aren’t all bad-they create parentocracy (power to parents). League tables and Ofsted reports allow parents to make an informed choice about where they send their children to school. The problem with Marketisation policies is actually out of school as cultural capital makes mc parents privileged choosers because they are more likely to know to use league tables and Ofsted reports to make their decision. Economic capital also means that mc can take advantage of the system by moving to an area with a better school (selection by mortgage) or paying for tutoring/private school.
AO1-Material deprivation-Housing (Out of school)
Poor housing may mean that wc students don’t have a desk to do homework or it may be too noisy/overcrowded to concentrate meaning they will do worse in exams. Damp conditions can also lead to illnesses or lack of sleep which increases absences from school meaning they will fall behind, negatively affecting their achievement.
AO1-Material deprivation-diet and health (Out of school)
Howard-students from wc homes have poorer diets with lower intakes of energy, vitamins, and minerals. This can weaken the immune system resulting in more illness and absences from school leading to falling behind and lower achievement than mc. Wilkinson-due to high intakes of sugar wc students have higher rates of hyperactivity, anxiety, and behaviour problems which negatively impacts achievement.
AO1-Material deprivation-Low finances (Out of school)
Jesson and Grey-There is a correlation between students on free school meals and students getting low results. Bernstein and Young-mc mothers are more likely to buy educational toys (books) whereas educational toys and computers are not brought into wc homes, giving the mc an advantage. Tanner-there are hidden costs within education which disadvantage wc students (transport, uniform, equipment)
AO1-Material deprivation-Fear of debt (Out of school)
Callender and Jackson-They gave 2000 questionaire out to prospective students and found that wc students are 5x less likely to apply to uni due to fear of the fees. Reay-wc students are more likely to apply to local unis to save money aswell as getting a part-time job, both of which will negitivly affect their studies.
