Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Class differences
in achievement
- Class patterns of
achievement.
- Working class pupils
tend to achieve lower
than middle class pupils.
- Those with higher
class parents are
twice as likely to get 5
or more A* to C GCSEs.
- Five times as likely
to go to university.
- This can be caused by either
internal or external factors.
- External: outside the school or within the home.
- Internal: within
the school and
education system.
- Cultural: class
differences in
norms and
values, attitudes
to education,
speech codes,
etc.
- Material: the
physical
necessities
of life;
adequate
housing, diet
and income.
- Cultural
deprivation
theory.
- Culture: all norms, values, beliefs,
skills and knowledge that a society
or group regards as important.
- Transmitted
through
socialisation.
- Different classes
socialise their children
differently and this may
affect their achievement.
- The cultural deprivation theory states that some
working class parents fail to transmit the 'right' culture
(norms, values etc.) needed for educational success.
- Intellectual
stimulation.
- Working
class parents
are less likely
to give their
children
educational
toys and
activities to
stimulate their
thinking skills.
- Working
class
parents
less likely
to read to
their
children.
- This affects
their intellectual
development
so they are at a
disadvantage
when they start
school.
- Speech
codes.
- The working
class use the
restricted
speech code.
- Less analytic
and more
descriptive.
- Limited
vocabulary.
- Simple
sentences.
- The middle class use the
elaborated speech code.
- More
analytic.
- Wide
vocabulary.
- Complex
sentences.
- Working class
subculture.
- Immediate
gratification.
- Wanting rewards
straight away
rather than willing
to make sacrifices
and working hard
for future
rewards.
- Fatalism.
- Working
class pupils
don't believe
that what
they do will
make a
difference,
so there's
no point in
trying.
- Low value
on education.
- Don't believe
they will benefit
from education,
and so don't try.
- Middle class
parents are
more likely to
attend parents'
evenings than
working class.
- Criticisms.
- Ignores material factors
such as poverty.
- Ignores school
factors such
as labelling.
- Blames the victim
for their failure.
- Material
deprivation.
- Poor
housing.
- Overcrowding
or cold, damp
rooms mean
pupils have
nowhere quiet to
do homework.
- Being homeless
or living in
temporary
accommodation
may mean
changes of
school.
- Poor diet.
- Can lead to
illness, absence
from school and
lack of
concentration.
- Low
income.
- Lack of
educational
materials
(books, a
computer etc.)
- Lack of the
right
uniform/latest
fashion items
which can
lead to
bullying.
- Not being able
to afford
university fees.
- School factors
and achievement.
- Labelling.
- The middle class are generally
labelled as 'bright' and 'motivated',
whereas the working class are
labelled as 'bad' and 'disruptive'.
- Middle class pupils are
seen as 'ideal', and
teachers prefer to teach
them than working class
students.
- Self-fulfilling
prophecy.
- When a person is either
positively or negatively labelled
and the label comes true simply
because it has been said.
- e.g. "He
is stupid
he will
fail.", and
then he
fails his
exams.
- 'What teachers believe,
pupils achieve.'
- However, some pupils who are
negatively labelled rebel against this and
try to do well simply to spite their teacher.
- Streaming.
- Streaming is an extreme
form of labelling.
- The 'bright' pupils are
grouped together in the
top stream, and the
'thick' ones in the bottom.
- Douglas found
that the IQ of
those in the
lower streams
declined over
time and that
of those in the
top streams
increased.
- Those placed in lower
streams are denied
the same curriculum
e.g. foundation exams.
- Pupil
subcultures.
- Pro-school
subcultures.
- Often formed by those
in higher streams.
- Work hard, attend regularly,
respect teachers, enjoy school
participate enthusiastically etc.
- Anti-school
subcultures.
- Often formed by
those in lower
streams.
- Reject the
school's values
and often
invert them.
- Dislike school, disrespect teachers,
flout rules,avoid schoolwork, play
truant, sabotage their uniform etc.
- Educational
policies.
- Marketisation
policies have
increased the
amount of
streaming.
- Fees, school
leaving age,
compulsory
education etc.
have had an
impact.