Relationships and processes within schools

• What does the labelling theory believe?


  People judge the characteristics of others and treat them accordingly, this can lead to the self-fulfilling prophecy or the self-negating prophecy
• What do Gillborn and Youdell suggest?


  That teachers label pupils based on ethnicity, gender and class stereotypes
• What is setting?


  When students are sorted into classes based on ability and stay in these sets for most or all classes
• What is streaming?


  When students are sorted into classes based on ability but on a subject to subject basis
• What is a mixed ability set?


  When students aren't sorted into classes based on ability
• What is a disadvantage of setting?


  Most pupils have some subjects they are better and worse at so they may feel to challenged or not challenged enough in some classes
• What is a disadvantage of setting and streaming?


  They can lead to pupils in the lower class being negatively labelled and lead to low aspirations
• What did Bell argue about setting and streaming?


  Setting and streaming may result in teachers negatively labelling lower sets
• What is a disadvantage of mixed ability sets?


  Studies show that mixed ability sets don't prevent teachers from having lower expectations for students
• What is a subculture?


  A group that share ideas, behaviours and beliefs that differ from societal and mainstream norms
• Who argues that streaming can lead to subcultures?

  Lacey
• What were the results of Lacey's observation in a grammar school?

  Pupils that were in the low sets were still negatively labelled and formed anti-school subcultures
• What did Fuller observe about ethnicity and subcultures?


  Black girls in high ability sets felt that their teacher was racist and formed anti-school, pro-education subcultures
• Who studied class and subcultures?

  Paul Willis