External factors

• What is the difference between external factors and internal factors?

  External factors are outside of school (like your home life). whereas internal factors are within school and the education system.
• What are cultural factors?

  These include class differences and norms acquired through socialisation, attitudes towards education and speech codes.
• What are material factors?

  These are the physical necessities for life, such as adequate housing, diet/nutrition and income
• What is cultural deprivation theory?

  This is the theory that some working-class parents fail to correctly socialise their children, meaning they do not transmit the appropriate norms, values, attitudes and skills that are necessary for success in education.
• What are the 3 factors that cultural deprivation theorists think are responsible for working class under-achievement?


  Language, working-class subculture and parent's education
• Why are working-class children more likely to be at a disadvantage before even starting school?

  Working-class parents are less likely to provide their children with educational toys and books. They are also less likely to read to them, meaning that they do not do activities that are intellectually stimulating for the child.
• Who created language code theory?

  Basil Bernstein (1975)
• Which class uses restricted code?

  Working class
• Which class uses elaborated code?


  Middle class
• What is restricted code?


  It is more descriptive and less analytical. It mostly uses simple sentences, limited vocabulary and includes lots of gestures.
• What is elaborated code?


  It is more analytical, containing a wide array of vocabulary and complex sentences.
• Why does language code theory benefit middle class children?


  Teachers mostly speak in elaborated code, meaning that it is often easier for middle class children to understand what the teacher is explaining. It can cause working-class children to fall behind as they are not used to the vocabulary used by the teachers.
• What is Feinstein's opinion on factors affecting education?


  He believes that parent's education is the most important factor affecting their children's academic achievement.
• How does parenting style affect a child's achievement?


  Educated parents put an emphasis on consistent discipline, higher expectations and active learning. Less educated parents often use inconsistent discipline, which gives children less motivation and can cause them to have problems with authority figures e.g. teachers.
• How do parent's educational behaviours affect a child's achievement?


  More educated parents are more likely to know what benefits their child's progress, meaning they attempt to form positive relationships with their child's teachers and attend school related events.
• How does a parent's language affect a child's achievement?


  Educated parent's communicate with their child in a way that is beneficial to their cognitive development.
• How does a parent's use of income affect their child's achievement?


  Educated parents are often able to spend some of their income on educational toys and books to promote learning. Less educated parents (often working class) do not have the money to do this as they have to prioritise food and rent.
• What are the 4 elements of working-class subculture that contribute to underachievement?


  Immediate gratification, collectivism, fatalism and present time orientation
• What is immediate gratification?


  This is wanting rewards (often money) now rather than making sacrifices (university) to gain more in the future.
• What is fatalism?


  A belief that whatever will be will be, meaning that working class children do not believe that they can change their social standing.
• Why do Hyman and Douglas believe that working-class people value education less?


  Hyman suggested that working class people believe that they will not benefit from education so they do not try. Douglas argues that working-class parents show less interest in their child's education and therefore offer them less support.
• What are the criticisms of cultural deprivation theory?


  • It ignores the importance of material factors, such as poverty
  • It ignores the impact of internal factors, like teacher labelling
  • It blames the victim for their failure
• What factors of material deprivation cause working class underachievement?


  Poor housing and poor diet (caused by low income)
• How does poor housing cause underachievement?


  Overcrowding and damp rooms means that children do not have a quiet place to study or do homework. Being homeless or living in temporary accommodation can cause a child to change schools a lot.
• How does poor diet cause underachievement?


  It can lead to regular illnesses, absence from school and lack of concentration and energy due to hunger.
• How can the financial cost of education effect underachievement?


  • Poorer families are less likely to be able to afford school trips, computers and private tuition. They also may be bullied because of the way that their uniform and equipment looks.
  • Callender and Jackson (2005) found that working class students are debt averse. This means that they are less likely to attend university as this involves taking out student loans.
• What is the cultural capital theory?


  Marxists such as Bourdieu (1984) argue that middle class pupils are more successful because their parents possess more capital and assets.
• What are the 2 forms of cultural capital?


  • Economic capital- their wealth
  • Cultural capital- their attitudes, values, skills, knowledge etc.
• What is educational capital?


  Middle class children are able to use their cultural capital to gain educational capital. This means that they are able to gain more qualifications and therefore carry on the chain on middle class advantages.
• Feinstein (2008)

  Feinstein argued that parents' education is the most important factor affecting their children's achievement

  He also argues that educated parents are more likely to praise their children, which sets them up for academic success and builds self-esteem
• Carl Bereiter and Siegfreid Engelmann

  lower class parents are more likely to communicate using gestures or single words/short phrases
• Douglas (1964)


  working-class parents don't value education as much as middle-class parents, meaning they do not get as involved in school life and their child's education and their child is not motivated to do well in school
• Bernstein and Young (1967)


  middle-class parents are able to spend a chunk of their income on things to aid their child's education, whereas lower-class parents have to save money
• Barry Sugarman (1970)


  he argues that working-class subcultures have 4 features that act as a barrier to education- fatalism, collectivism, immediate gratification and present time orientation
• What is collectivism?


  valuing being part of a group more than succeeding individually
• What is present time orientation?

  viewing the present as more important than the future
• Nell Keddie (1973)


  she states that cultural deprivation theory is a myth and says it is a victim blaming explanation. she says it is impossible for working-class people to be deprived of their own culture, instead they are just culturally different
• Marilyn Howard (2001) 


  she noted that children from poorer families have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals
• Richard Wilkinson (1996)


  conducted a study among 10-year-olds that showed the lower the social class, the higher rate of hyperactivity, anxiety and conduct disorders
• Jo Blanden and Stephen Machin (2007)


  they found that children from lower-income families are more likely to engage in externalising behaviour, such as fighting and tantrums