External Factors: Cultural Deprivation

• WC parents fail to socialise their children to mainstream norms and values.
• Speech codes was proposed by the sociologist Bernstien. Students who speak the Elaborated code feel more at home, as middle class students are more used to speaking in that linguistic code.
• Douglas (1964) claimed that working class parents put less value on education. They have less ambition, encouragement and take less interest in education.
• Feinstein (2008) argued that middle class parents encourage active learning and exploration. WC parenting style is more disciplinarian and focused on 'doing as your told' which limits self control and independance.
• Feinstein argued that middle class parents read to their children and take them on educational vists, as well as buying them educational toys, books and activities.
• Sugarman (1970) says that WC culture acts as a barrier sucesses in education. These are:

  • Fatalism - believing in fate, rather than working hard
  • Collectivism - being in a group and keeping the 'WC' mindeset
  • Immidiate Gratification - not wanting to work hard, and seek pleasure now not later
  • Present-time Orientation - Not having long term goals
• However, Keddie says that there is a myth of cultural deprivation as we are blaming the victims as the child's language is not the problem, but rather the teachers attitudes towards it.