Internal factors affecting educational achievement

Question 1

Becker - Labelling + Self-fulfilling prophercy

Answer 1

Found that teachers often label students based on social class, which can influence their expectations and treatments of students.

This lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, where students internalise these labels and perform accordingly.

Question 2

Rosenthal and Jacobson ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’ experiments

Answer 2

Explored the impact of teachers expectations on students performance, demonstrating that positive expectations could lead to improved student outcomes.

Question 3

What is the ‘halo-effect’?

Answer 3

Cognitive bias where a positive impression of someone leads to a positive perception in other areas.

Question 4

Setting + streaming - Ball

Answer 4

Studied the effects of banding students by ability and found that it can reinforce class divisions and impact student achievement.

Higher sets = m/c and more likely to get encouragement and resources.
Lower sets = w/c and facing neglect.

Question 5

Educational Triage ‘Gillborn and Youdell’ > 3 types:

Answer 5

Highlight how the educational triage can lead to neglect of those perceived as less likely to succeed.

1) Those who will pass anyways > focus on these groups > lead to high OFSTED reports
2) Borderline C grade pupils > targeted for extra help
3) Hopeless cases.

Question 6

Pupil subcultures - Willis ‘Learning to labour’

Answer 6

Explored how w/c boys formed anti-school subcultures that reject the values of the school.

‘Lad culture’ > emphasis on physical labour, toughness and rejection of academic achievement > Willis suggests that their resistance prepares them for the types of jobs they will likely have.