cultural deprivation: class (external factor)

• Cultural Deprivation


  W/C parents fail to adequately socialise their children therefore grow up culturally deprived, this is because they lack the cultural equipment needed to do well in school therefore they underachieve
• Aspects of cultural deprivation

  • Language
  • Parents' education
  • W/C subcultures
• Language


  • M/C parents use language to challenge their child to evaluate their own understanding
  • W/C parents tend to use simple discipline statements
• Language


  • M/C parents are more likely to use praise, encouraging their children to develop a sense of their competence
• Restricted code


  Speech code used by W/C. Limited vocab, short unfinished grammatically simple sentences. One word sentences. Speech is predictable.
• Elaborated code


  Speech code by M/C. Wider vocab. Longer grammatically correct more complex sentences. Speech is more varied.
• Parenting style


  • M/C parents emphasise consistent discipline and high expectations of their child, and support achievement by encouraging active learning
  • W/C parenting style is harsh and inconsistent discipline that emphasis on 'doing as your told'
• Parental educational behaviours

  • Educated parents are more likely to be aware of what is needed to assist their children's education progress. Therefore engage in behaviour such as 'reading to their children, teaching them letters and numbers, poems
  • Educated parents are also better able to accept advice on children learning establishing a good relationship with teachers
  • Better educated parents are more likely to use their money to promote their children's educational success e.g. buy educational toys/books/activities that encourage reasoning skills and stimulate intellectual development
• W/C subcultures

  • Cultural deprivation theorist would argue the lack of parental interest in their children's education reflects the subcultures values of w/c
  • Large sections of the working class have different goals, beliefs, attitudes and values from the rest of society this is why the children fail in school
• Neil Keddie describes cultural deprivation as a myth and sees it as a victim blaming explanation
• Neil Keddie argues that a child cannot be deprived of its own culture and argues that w/c children are simply culturally different, not culturally deprived
• Neil Keddie argues that children fail because they are put at a disadvantage by the education system which is ruled by and dominated by the m/c values
• Hubbs

  • Found that m/c parents used language to challenge their child to evaluate their own understanding, eg are u ready for the next step. However in contrast w/c parents tend to use simple discipline statements eg what's that animal called. 
• Feinstein 

  • Found that m/c parents are more likely to use praise, encouraging their children to develop a sense of their competence.