Education glossary

• Labelling?


  The process of attaching a label, characteristic or definition to individuals or groups. labelling eg. a middle class student as bright/smart.
• Meritocracy?


  A system in which individuals‘ achievements are based on their own talents and efforts rather than their social origins and backgrounds. Functionalists would agree with this.
• Teacher expectations?


  Assumptions that teachers make about students’ future academic achievements based on their knowledge of students‘ current performance.
• What is a league table?

  Measures school performance data. This is statistical information showing how well pupils in England have done in public exams taken at key points during their school careers. They are available for all to see.
• Marketisation?


  An attempt to improve educations standards and opportunities by making schools and colleges compete for students in an education market.
• Deschooling?


  The idea that the education system as it is currently organised should be abolished.
• Ethnocentric curriculum?

  Judging things in a biased way from the point of view of one culture. For example, The national curriculum may valur white, western literature, art, history etc.
• Anti-school subculture?


  A school-based group of students who resist the school, its teachers and their authority and openly challenge the school rules.
• competition?


  A struggle or contest between individuals or groups to obtain somethings desirable(such as qualification, school places, status, power or wealth)that is in limited supply