Class differences in education

Class differences in education

1. Patterns

   • Genereally working-class pupils achieve less than middle-class pupils in education
   • Children of higher professtionals are 2-3 tiomes more likely to 5 or more A*-C GCSEs thank children of manual workers
   • 'Rich, thick kids do better than poor, clever children' - Michael Gove (2010)

2. Cultural deprivation

   • 'Culture' refers to all the norms, values , beliefs, skills, and knowledge of a society or group, transmitted from one generation to the next
     • Different classes socialise their children differently, which may affect their achievement
     • According to the 'Cultural deprivation' theory, working class parents fail to transmit the appropriate culture needed for success
   • Intellectual stimulation
     • Working-class parents don't provide their children with educational toys/activities.
     • This could put them at a disadvantage compared to middle-class children
     • Working-class parents are less likely to read to their children
   • Bernstien - Language (1975)
     • Bernstien argued that there are two types of language used, restricted and elaborated code
     • The working class use the restricted code, which is less analytic and more descriptive with a limited vocabulary, he argues that although all classes understand this code, the lower-working class may be limited to it.
     • The middle-class use the elaborated code, which is more analytical with a wide vocabulary, and is universalistic, and used in education giving the middle class an advantage.
   • Parents' education
     • Feinstein (2008) argues that parents' own education is the most important factor affecting children's achievement.
     • Parenting style
       • Educated parents (typically the middle-class) emphasis consistent discipline, high expectations, and active learning
       • Less educated parents' (typically the working-class) inconsistent discipline means that children have a poorer motivation and problems when interacting with the teacher.
     • Educated parents are more aware of what will help their children, and set out to do these things, such as seeing the value in educational vists
     • Educated parents are more likely to spend their income on promoting their child's delevopment
     • The way that the parent may communicate with theor child will affect their child's cognitive development.
   • Working-class subculture
     • The working-class subculture has an attitude of wanting rewards now, rather than working hard for future rewards, unlike the deferred gratification practiced by the middle-class
     • The belief of 'whatever will be, will be' means that working-class children don't believe that they can change their position through their own efforts.
     • Hyman (1967) argues that the working class don't calue education, so they don't try
     • Douglas argues that working-class parents show less interest in their child's education giving then less support

3. Material deprevation

   • Poor housing
     • Overcrowding, or cold and damp rooms may mean that pupils have nowhere quiet to do their homework
   • Poor diet
     • This can lead to illness, absences from school and a lack of concentration in class due to hunger
   • Low income
     • Poorer families can afford fewer educational opportunities such as trips
     • Children may be stigmatised/bullied for the lack of uniform or latest fashion
     • Callender and Jackson (2005) found working-class students to be debt advise, seeing more costs than benefits in going to university
   • Bourdieu (1984) - Cultural capital
     • Bourdieu argued that middle-class pupils are more successful because their parents possess more capital or asets
     • Capital can come in two forms
       • Economic capital
         • The wealth middle-class families have
       • Cultural capital
         • The attitudes, values, skills, knowledge, etc that the middle class have
       • Educational capital - a combination of cultural and economic capital
         • This advantage allows their children to get middle-class jobs earning more economic capital

4. School factors

   • Labelling
     • The meanings or definitions we attach to someone, to make sense of them
     • Studies show that teachers often attach labels regardless of the pupils ability
     • Becker (1971) carried out interviews on 60 high school teachers
       • Found that teachers judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the 'ideal pupil'
       • Argued that teachers label middle-class pupils as the 'ideal pupil'
     • Rist (1970) carried a study on an American kindergarten
       • Found that the teacher used information about the children's apperance and home backgrounds to group them
       • 'The tigers' were more likely to be middle-class and were seated near her, gaining the most encouragement.
       • The 'cardinals' and the 'clowns' who were more likely to be from the working-class were seated further away