Education - Social Class

Question 1

What is the definition of social class?

Answer 1

Individuals economic role, social identity and political affiliation.

Question 2

What are external factors?

Answer 2

Factors outside school which affect individuals.

Question 3

Give examples of external factors.

Answer 3

Material deprivation
Cultural deprivation
Cultural capital

Question 4

What is material deprivation?

Answer 4

Lacking physical necessities such as comfortable income and adequate housing.

Question 5

4 types of material deprivation (from the spec)

Answer 5

Poor housing
Poor diet/health
Financial support
Fear of debt

Question 6

What is poor housing?

Answer 6

Lacking study space and resources, overcrowding and shared room space, increased risk of illness from close others.

Question 7

What is poor diet/health?

Answer 7

Howard - WorkingClass children have bad diets (ots of sugar) affecting concentration abilities, more likely to lead to behavioural problems (hyperactivity).

Question 8

What is (lack of) financial support?

Answer 8

Education is still costly even though it’s supposed to be free.

• Transport
• Stationary
• Food

Question 9

What is fear of debt?

Answer 9

Increase tuition fees puts off the WorkingClass from entering higher education, less pressure to get good grades.

Question 10

Criticisms of material deprivation factors.

Answer 10

There are alternatives to every factor: go to a closer school, do work in libraries, take pack lunches.

Question 11

What is cultural deprivation?

Answer 11

Lacking cultural norms and values to do well in the environment not made for you.

Question 12

3 types of cultural deprivation (from the spec)

Answer 12

Speech and language codes
Parents education
Deviant subcultures

Question 13

What are Bernstein’s speech codes?

Answer 13

Restricted - limited vocab, descriptive, context bound, working class.
Elaborated - complicated, abstract, large vocab, context free, middle class.

Question 14

What are the other 2 speech cod studies?

Answer 14

Feinstein - MC use elaborated codes and encourage their children with praise.
Bereiter & Engelmann - WC mostly use hand gestures and disjointed sentences.

Question 15

3 parental education factors.

Answer 15

Parenting style
Parents educational behaviours
Parents use of income

Question 16

What is parenting style?

Answer 16

Educated parents (MC) are more likely to be consistent in discipline and have higher expectations of their child.
Uneducated parents (WC) have “just do as you’re told and behave” mentality, give children less independence.

Question 17

What is parent educational behaviours?

Answer 17

Educated (MC) read to children, teach songs, help with homework, and actively involve selves with school.
Uneducated (WC) don’t help with homework, leave child and school alone, don’t see value of education system.

Question 18

What is use of income?

Answer 18

Educated (MC) spend money on educationally stimulating toys to encourage reading.
Uneducated (WC) don’t have the money to spend on extra things for children’s school.

Question 19

Criticisms of parents education.

Answer 19

Caricature (over exaggeration) of the social class divide
Assumes education = social class