External Factors; Class Differences in Achievement

External Factors; Class Differences in Achievement

1. 1.Cultural Deprivation

   • General
     • Class differences appear very early in life
       • *Centre for Longitudinal studies* found by the age of 3yrs, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already 1yr behind those from more privilaged ones
         • Gap continues to widen with age
     • (mc) Acquire basic values, attitudes & skills that are needed for educational success through primary socialisation
     • Basic 'cultural equipment' includes language, self-discipline & reasoning skills
     • (wc) Families 'fail' to socialise children adequately so become 'culturally deprived
       • Lack cultural equipment needed to do well at school so underachieve
     • There are 3 main aspects; language, parent's education and working-class subculture
   • Language
     • Essential part of the process of education
     • Way in which parents communicate with children affects their cognitive/intellectual development & ability to benefit from the process of schooling
     • *Hubbs-tait* found that children of parents that use language that challenges them to evaluate their own understanding or abilities develop an improved cognitive performance
       • *Feinstein* found educated parents are more likely to use language in this way & less educated parents tend to use language in ways that only require children to make simple descriptive statements, causing lower performance
         • *Feinstein* found educated parents more likely to use praise, encouragement