Class differences in achievement

External factors for class differences in achievement

• Cultural deprivation

• Material deprivation

• Cultural capital

Cultural deprivation

• theory that argues that working class children fail failing education because their families fail to provide the norms, values, attitudes and and skills (cultural equipment) needed for success

• Through inadequate primary socialisation.

• The centre of longitudinal studies (2007) support this as they have found that by the age of the 3, working class children are already a year behind development, and the gap widens with age.

Language - speech codes

• Basil Bernstein (1975)

• Distinguishes between two types of speech codes

  • restricted code: used by working class

    • consisting of simple sentences, limited vocabulary, gestures and is context bound

  • Elaborated code: used my middle class

    • consisting of complex grammar, wider vocabulary, is context free and analytical.

• This gives Middle class students an advantage as teachers, textbooks, and exams will use the elaborated code, helping them feel more at “home”, while working class children may feel excluded.

Evaluations of speech codes

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parents education

• Douglas (1964)

• found that working class parents valued education less and as a result they were less ambitious for their children, gave them little encouragement, took less interest in their studies and visited schools less often - leading for the child to have less motivation and achievement

parental education

• Feinstein (2008)

• argues that parental education was the most important factor in children’s achievement

• as this links to how they socialise them:

• parenting style

• parents educational behaviours

• use of income

• class income and parental education

• middle class parents use consistent discipline and high expectations for their children, encouraging them through active learning and exploring

• While lower class parents use harsh and inconsistent discipline, emphasising on “do as your told” and “behave yourself”. - preventing them from learning independence and self control, leading to less motivation and problems with interacting with teachers

parenting style

• middle class parents use consistent discipline and high expectations for their children, encouraging them through active learning and exploring

• While lower class parents use harsh and inconsistent discipline, emphasising on “do as your told” and “behave yourself”. - preventing them from learning independence and self control, leading to less motivation and problems with interacting with teachers.

parents educational behaviours

use of income

class, income and parental education