Social class inequality - education

Question 1

What are material factors in social class and education trends?

Answer 1

Children raised in poverty have the lowest levels of education attainment.

Question 2

What did Flaherty (2004) find about material factors?

Answer 2

Material factors is evident even before they start school and the attainment gap between poor and the rest of the population widens steadily throughout the years of education

Question 3

Material deprivation

Answer 3

Sociologists claim that low attainment of low income working class pupils resulted from them being deprived culturally and materially

Question 4

Cost of education

Answer 4

Money can buy educational advantage. 30% of children surveyed in 2023 have had a private tutor during their school career. However many working class children could not afford to have a tutor.

Question 5

What are cultural factors of social class affecting education?

Answer 5

Values and aspirations, Parental interest

Question 6

Douglas “the home and the school” (1964)

Answer 6

middle class children received more attention and encouragement from their parents during their early years and degree of parent’s interest in their children’s education was the single most important factor affecting their educational progress

Question 7

What is a disadvantage of Douglas’ work?

Answer 7

He measured parental interest in terms of how often parents visited the school which could link to labelling theory whereby teachers negatively label a student based on their social class leading to self fulfilling prophecy

Question 8

What is an advantage of Douglas’ work?

Answer 8

Feinstein (2003) research support in the National child development study

Question 9

Feinstein (2003) National child development study

Answer 9

he found similar results to Douglas and found a lot of research support for middle class children doing better at school than working class children enhancing social inequality

Question 10

Class subcultures

Answer 10

Examine the norms, attitudes and values of each class

Question 11

Sugarman (1970) - working class subculture

Answer 11

4 features that act as a barrier to educational education meaning that the working class are at a disadvantage

Question 12

What are the 4 features of working class subculture that Sugarman identities?

Answer 12

fatalism, collectivism, immediate gratification, present time orientation

Question 13

Cultural deprivation theory

Answer 13

Suggests that those at the bottom of the class system are deprived or important values, attitudes, experiences and skills which are essential for educational success

Question 14

What does Bernstein (1972) look at?

Answer 14

Speech patterns

Question 15

What does Bernstein say about speech patterns (1972)?

Answer 15

Suggested that class differences in speech patterns are related to educational attainment. It is an important medium of learning and distinguished two forms of speech patterns

Question 16

What are the two forms of speech patterns identified by Bernstein (1972)?

Answer 16

Restricted and Elaborated code

Question 17

restricted code

Answer 17

Shorthand speech, found in conversations between people who have a lot in common. Sentences are often short, simple and unfinished, detail is omitted, explanations not given and information taken for granted.

Question 18

Elaborated code

Answer 18

Meanings are made explicit, explanations provided, details spelt out. As such the elaborated code tends to be context-free and its meanings are universalistic.

Question 19

Who does Bernstein believe uses the elaborated code?

Answer 19

most middle class children have been socialised with use of both the restricted code and the elaborated codes and are fluent in each.

Question 20

Who does Bernstein believe uses the restricted code?

Answer 20

Working class children

Question 21

Why are working class pupils placed at a disadvantage for using the restricted code?

Answer 21

Because teachers use the elaborated code so working class pupils are less likely to understand what teachers say and are more likely to be misunderstood and criticised

Question 22

What is the advantage of Bernsteins work?

Answer 22

Supported by marxists Bowles an aging is as they see school as a process of young people becoming the future workers of the capitalist system so their speech patterns will be a sign of which role they will take (bourgeoisie or proletariat)

Question 23

What is a disadvantage of Bernsteins work?

Answer 23

Some researchers have questioned if the working class are limited to the restricted code as a lot of his evidence comes from interviews given by middle class adults to 5 year old boys. Such interviews may reveal little about the linguistic ability of young people and their social class.

Question 24

What can intelligence be due to?

Answer 24

Genetic and environmental factors

Question 25

What does Eysenck (1971) argue about intelligence?

Answer 25

The genetic component is most important and class differences in educational attainment results from class differences genetically based IQ

Question 26

What does Saunders (1996) argue about intelligence?

Answer 26

Britain is a meritocratic society with equal opportunity and environmental factors make a difference

Question 27

How does Saunders support his arguments about intelligence?

Answer 27

with an analysis of children's IQ data, their educational performance and their job status as adults. He concludes that IQ has far more effect on a person's educational and occupational success than their class background.

Question 28

What impact does a persons position in the labour market have?

Answer 28

direct effect on lifetime earnings, living standards and ability to build up a pension, savings and investments.

Question 29

Why have work places changed?

Answer 29

due to globalisation, sector shifts and multi-skilled worker.

Question 30

How is there a link between social class and the workplace?

Answer 30

because class is usually defined by a person's occupation.

Question 31

What does Gallie (2000) look at?

Answer 31

the long-term transformation of the occupational structure in Britain.

Question 32

What does Gallie (2000) believe the occupational structure of the first half of the 20th century was like?

Answer 32

There was a growth in clerical work (especially women) and a significant expansion of professions, but manual work still dominated.

Question 33

What does Gallie (2000) believe the occupational structure of the second half of the 20th century was like?

Answer 33

a sharp decline in the numbers of manual workers (especially unskilled workers) and a spectacular expansion in professional and managerial groups.

Question 34

What does Denny (2003) make of Gallie's ideas?

Answer 34

Not all working class have managed to find alternative jobs. Many manual workers took early retirement or went on benefits. Others found jobs that were not as well paid as the job they have before. Middle class workers enjoy marked advantages

Question 35

What is evidence of Denny (2003)'s finding that the middle class workers enjoyed advantages of the change of Britains occupational structure?

Answer 35

semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers are four times more likely than professionals to end up unemployed.

Question 36

Braverman (1974) Deskilling

Answer 36

argued that many white-collar workers are being deskilled, (nearly to working class) through automation and computerisation. This as a deliberate management strategy by the ruling class (for more profit).

Question 37

Why was Braverman (1974) criticised for his approach on deskilling?

Answer 37

it was found that management strategies are broader i.e. there may be elements of upskills as well. Workers are not totally passive and he does not take into other types of workers

Question 38

Ritzer's McDonaldization

Answer 38

the principles of the fast-food industry are dominating wider societies. He is critical of deskilling which McDonaldisation introduces into society at large. He says it is inefficient and dehumanising and it strips people of their creativity and initiative