Pupil Identities and Subcultures

Question 1

Symbolic Violence – Archer

Answer 1

Schools impose forms of symbolic violence against students whose identities are shaped by designer
clothing or hyper-heterosexual feminine
behaviour (usually w/c) which suggests
to those students that education is not
for them.

Question 2

Ethnocentric Curriculum – Ball

Answer 2

The current curriculum is very focused
on Middle class White British culture,
what Ball refers to as “Little Englandism”

Question 3

School Environments – Reay

Answer 3

sudents align their ability with the type
of school that they attend. Students
who attend a poor performing school
see themselves as poor students and
more likely to for anti school sub
cultures

Question 4

Differentiation - Lacey

Answer 4

The process of teachers
categorising pupils
according to how
they perceive their
ability, attitude and
behaviour.

Question 5

Polarisation - Lacey

Answer 5

The process by which
pupils respond to
differentiation
by moving towards one
of two opposite poles
or extremes, ie pro or
anti school subculture

Question 6

Mac An Ghaill (1994)

Answer 6

The academic achievers:
Seek to achieve academic
success by focusing on
traditional academic subjects
such as English, maths &
sciences.
The New Enterprisers:
Rejected the traditional
academic curriculum but were
motivated to study subjects such
as business and computing
which they see as a route to
economic success.