Class differences in education

Patterns
1. Genereally working-class pupils achieve less than middle-class pupils in education
2. Children of higher professtionals are 2-3 tiomes more likely to 5 or more A*-C GCSEs thank children of manual workers
3. 'Rich, thick kids do better than poor, clever children' - Michael Gove (2010)
Cultural deprivation
1. 'Culture' refers to all the norms, values , beliefs, skills, and knowledge of a society or group, transmitted from one generation to the next
  1. Different classes socialise their children differently, which may affect their achievement
  2. According to the 'Cultural deprivation' theory, working class parents fail to transmit the appropriate culture needed for success
2. Intellectual stimulation
  1. Working-class parents don't provide their children with educational toys/activities.
  2. This could put them at a disadvantage compared to middle-class children
  3. Working-class parents are less likely to read to their children
3. Bernstien - Language (1975)
  1. Bernstien argued that there are two types of language used, restricted and elaborated code
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
4. Parents' education
  1. Feinstein (2008) argues that parents' own education is the most important factor affecting children's achievement.
  2. Parenting style
    1. Educated parents (typically the middle-class) emphasis consistent discipline, high expectations, and active learning
    2. Less educated parents' (typically the working-class) inconsistent discipline means that children have a poorer motivation and problems when interacting with the teacher.
  3. 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
  4. Educated parents are more likely to spend their income on promoting their child's delevopment
  5. The way that the parent may communicate with theor child will affect their child's cognitive development.
5. Working-class subculture
  1. 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
  2. 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.
  3. Hyman (1967) argues that the working class don't calue education, so they don't try
  4. Douglas argues that working-class parents show less interest in their child's education giving then less support
Material deprevation
1. Poor housing
  1. Overcrowding, or cold and damp rooms may mean that pupils have nowhere quiet to do their homework
2. Poor diet
  1. This can lead to illness, absences from school and a lack of concentration in class due to hunger
3. Low income
  1. Poorer families can afford fewer educational opportunities such as trips
  2. Children may be stigmatised/bullied for the lack of uniform or latest fashion
  3. Callender and Jackson (2005) found working-class students to be debt advise, seeing more costs than benefits in going to university
4. Bourdieu (1984) - Cultural capital
  1. Bourdieu argued that middle-class pupils are more successful because their parents possess more capital or asets
  2. Capital can come in two forms
    1. Economic capital
      1. The wealth middle-class families have
    2. Cultural capital
      1. The attitudes, values, skills, knowledge, etc that the middle class have
    3. Educational capital - a combination of cultural and economic capital
      1. This advantage allows their children to get middle-class jobs earning more economic capital
School factors
1. Labelling
  1. The meanings or definitions we attach to someone, to make sense of them
  2. Studies show that teachers often attach labels regardless of the pupils ability
  3. Becker (1971) carried out interviews on 60 high school teachers
    1. Found that teachers judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the 'ideal pupil'
    2. Argued that teachers label middle-class pupils as the 'ideal pupil'
  4. Rist (1970) carried a study on an American kindergarten
    1. Found that the teacher used information about the children's apperance and home backgrounds to group them
    2. 'The tigers' were more likely to be middle-class and were seated near her, gaining the most encouragement.
    3. The 'cardinals' and the 'clowns' who were more likely to be from the working-class were seated further away

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Class differences in education

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	Created by Phoebe Fletcher about 8 years ago