Sociology

• Language codes


  • w/c use restricted code-less grammatical, less vocabulary and context bound
  • m/c use elaborate code-context free, good vocabulary and, very grammatical
• Parents supports and values


  • w/c parents are less educated- less support(with h/w) and value education less
  • m/c parents are more educated- more time, encouragement and support (know how the system works)
• w/c values


  Fatalism, immediate gratification-not thinking about the future
• m/c values


  Deferred gratification-working hard for future, education is important
• Blaming child and family without looking at other factors like school system
• Implies w/c values are wrong and don't care about education
• w/c parents are aware of importance but not informed-school system too complicated
• Cultural capital


  Knowledge, values and, attitudes that help gain better educational achievement (m/c has more cultural capital)
• u/c and m/c students fit better in school because they have more cultural capital. The education system is rigged to reflect u/c and m/c culture
• m/c mothers understand the school system better and how to help their child succeed. They are more articulate and insistent on getting what they wanted
• w/c parents have high aspirations for their children but don't have social capital to understand the "rules"/insider knowledge/social skills regarding the school system
• Material deprivation


  Lack of basic needs such as housing, heating, adequate clothing, food and, educational resources caused by lack of money
• Effects of material deprivation


  • Diet and health-Unhealthy-hungry, cant concentrate
  • Housing-Expensive transport-cant get to school, Cold, damp, small space-illness, cramped, uncomfortable accommodation, Selection by mortgage, Less choice- no good schools
  • Resources, tutoring-Lack of computers/internet-cant do homework, No equipment, uniform and, money for trips-bullied, less cultural capital, Cant support after gcses-less careers, doing parents job
• m/c 4 times likely to stay until 16, 8 times likely to stay at 17, 10 times likely to stay ay 18
• m/c 11 times more likely to go to university
• There is far more parental choice of schools if you have money (selection by mortgage)
• Ethos in schools


  Different culture, w/c unwelcomed
• Teacher labelling


  Labelling based on appearance rather than ability
• Setting


  • Different ability groups for different subjects
  • Banding/streaming- same ability groups for all subjects
• Anti school subcultures


  A group of students generally in lower Sets who reject school and follow own goals
• Boys were disruptive, top sets-positive, conformed to rules, high status
• Black girls rejected labels and proved teachers wrong
• 'lads' rejects education because they see through the system
• Curriculum is irrelevant, w/c lose interest e.g. Shakespeare
• Teachers make quick judgements of abilities
• Teachers have an image of the ideal pupil (white m/c girls). This leads to self fulfilling prophecy
• Top set students behave well/work hard. Low sets-lazy, fall behind, low self esteem
• Lower streams allowed to talk more, simpler knowledge, less homework, not challenged, bad grades
• Over half of Pakistani and black African children grow up in poverty in Britain
• Overcrowded housing, poor diet and health- less likely to do well in school
• Bangladeshi students have improved e.g. in tower hamlets despite being in poverty. African Caribbean students on free school meals achieve better than white students on free school meals
• Language


  English being a second language for many Pakistani and Bangladeshi students
• Parental expectations


  Chinese students main factor and other Asian groups e.g. Bangladeshi. Indian students are used to authority, male subcultures- African and Caribbean boys encourage aggressive behaviour
• However teacher labelling could be the problem
• Peer pressure in African male groups- lack positive role models, rejects authority
• However many black children see education as important- teacher labelling plays a part
• Teacher racism


  Black boys are disciplined more, described as out of control, stereotypes
• Institutional racism


  1. 4 higher exclusion rates, leave school early, rules of an organisation discriminate based on race
• Labelling


  Low achievers and expectations, black in lower sets, low tier exams, Chinese + Indian in higher sets
• Curriculum


  White centred, ignores other cultures, low self esteem and detachment