Cultural Deprivation

• Sociologists use the term ‘cultural deprivation’ to refer to the lack of the correct norms and values necessary for educational success. Cultural deprivation is most likely to be experienced by working-class families.
• Some sociologists argue that children begin to acquire the basic values, attitudes and skills that are needed for educational success through primary socialisation. This basic 'cultural equipment' includes things such as language, self-discipline and reasoning skills. However, many working-class families fail to socialise their children adequately. These children grow up 'culturally deprived'.
• Cultural factors include

  1. Intellectual development
  2. Language
  3. Attitudes and values
• Intellectual development

  Cultural deprivation theorists argue that many working class homes lack the books, educational toys and activities that would stimulate a child's intellectual development. Consequently, children from such homes start school without having developed the intellectual skills needed to progress.
• Intellectual Development

  Douglas found that working class pupils scored lower on tests of ability than middle class pupils. He argues that this is because working class parents are less likely to support their children's intellectual development through reading with them or other educational activities in the

  home
• Intellectual Development

  Bernstein & Young argued that the way mothers think about and choose toys has an influence on their children’s intellectual development. They found that

  middle class mothers are more likely to choose toys that encourage thinking and

  reasoning skills and prepare children for school.
• Evaluation of intellectual development : Reay 2009 points that cultural explanations, like the one regarding intellectual development, involve ‘victim blaming’. The blame for educational underachievement is placed on the home and upbringing, claiming the culture of the lower working class is deficient or deprived
• Language

  Much research has highlighted differences in language use between the social classes, with the vocabulary spoken in lower-class homes being ‘deficient’. Lower-class families are more likely to communicate by gestures, single words, disjointed phrases and reliance on slang. As a result, their children fail to develop the necessary language skills. They grow up incapable of abstract thinking and unable to use language to explain, describe, enquire or compare. Because of this, they are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that school offers. 
• Language

  Much research has highlighted differences in language use between social classes with the lower class homes vocabulary being deficient. Lower class families are more likely to communicate by gestures single words or slang as a result children fail to develop necessary language skills. They cant as a result take advantage of the opportunities school has to offer.
• Language

  Bernstein identifies differences between WC and MC language that can influence achievement Restricted code ; typically used by WC has limited vocabulary and is based on unfinished grammatically simple sentences. Elaborated Code : used by MC has wider vocabulary and is based oj longer more grammatically correct complex sentences .
• Language

  As formal education is conducted using elaborated code WC pupils are placed at a distinct disadvantage they are less likely to understand what teachers say and are more misunderstood.
• Language Evaluation Troyna and Williams state the problem is not the Childs language but the schools attitude towards it. Teachers have a speech hierarchy and label MC speech highest
• Attitudes and Values Cultural deprivation theorists argue that parental attitudes and values are a key factor affecting educational achievement. Less ambitious ; Douglas found WC parent placed less value on education, were less ambitious for their kids and gave them less encouragement and took less interest in their education. As a result children were less motivated and less successful in their eduaction
•   Attitudes and Values Lack of Interest: Similar conclusions were reached by Feinstein (1998), who found that working-class parents' lack of interest was the main reason for their children's under-achievement. Significantly, he argues that middle-class children are more successful because their parents provide them with the necessary motivation, discipline and support
• Attitudes and Values Evaluation

  • Blackstone & Mortimore believe the working class attend fewer parents’ evenings, not because of a lack of interest, but because they work longer or inflexible working hours or are put off by the school’s middle-class atmosphere.