External factors - Social class

What are the external factors of social class differences in educational achievement?

• material deprivation

• cultural deprivation

• cultural capital (Bourdieu & Sullivan)

What are the social class aspects of material deprivation?

• housing

• diet & health (Howard & Wilkinson)

• financial support (Tanner, Flaherty, Noble & Ridge)

• fear of debt (Callendar, Jackson & Reay)

What are the social class aspects of cultural deprivation?

• language & speech (Bereiter, Engelmann & Bernstein)

• parents’ education (Feinstein, Bernstein & Young)

• subcultural values (Sugarman)

What are the social class aspects of housing?

• poor quality housing

• temporary housing

• damp & poor health

• crowded

• disrupted sleep

• nowhere to quietly study

• absences

What are the social class aspects of diet & health?

• poor nutrition

• lower intakes of vitamins & minerals

• weak immune systems

• illness

• absences

• low energy

• unable to concentrate

• emotional & behavioural problems

• higher rates of hyperactivity

What are the social class aspects of financial support?

• lack of equipment (e.g., textbooks, computers, tuition)

• ‘the cost of free schooling’ (Bull)

• unable to afford abroad field trips

What are the social class aspects of fear of debt?

• working class students are 5x less likely to go to university (Callender & Jackson)

• working class students are more likely to apply to local universities so they can live at home and avoid travel costs

• working class students are more likely to work part time, restricting their time and options

What are the social class aspects of language & speech?

• speech codes (Bernstein)

• restricted speech code of the working class (short grammar, context based)

• elaborated speech code of the middle class (wider vocabulary, complex grammar, context free)

• text books, universities, schools, and teachers use the elaborated code

What are the social class aspects of parents’ education?

• middle class parents are more likely to buy their children educational toys and books (Bernstein & Young)

• working class parents often place less value on education (Douglas)

• middle class parents are often better educated

• different parenting styles

• working class parenting is often harsh and inconsistent with discipline

What are the social class aspects of subcultural values (Sugarman)?

• fatalism

• collectivism

• immediate gratification

• present-time orientation

fatalism

the belief that “whatever will be, will be” and nothing can be done to change your status

collectivism

valuing being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual

immediate gratification

seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in order to get rewards and success in the future

present-time orientation

seeing the present as more important than the future and therefore not having any long term goals or plans

What are the social class aspects of cultural capital?

• the middle class have economic (wealth) and cultural (attitudes, knowledge & values) capital

• education favours the capital of the White middle class (Bourdieu)

• the dominant culture of the middle class can be converted into material rewards

• middle class children are better equipped for education

• middle class parents use their cultural and economic capital to ensure their children attend the best performing schools

• middle class parents are more likely to be able to afford a better house in the catchment of a good school due to their economic capital