...Causing Social Class Differences in Education Achievement. working-class students have usually underachieved in school, in contrast to middle-class students, this is due to external and internal factors. External cultural factors are claimed to be a key cause of social class differences in educational achievement according to various sociologist. These factors consist of Cultural deprivation, cultural capital and material deprivation. working class students' backgrounds are often linked with poverty more than any other class, this explains to material deprivation which these pupils are going through, as the students cannot afford money to buy all the equipment that they need for education, tanner et al found that the cost of items such as transport, uniform, books, coputer, calculater and sports equipment places a very heavy burden on poorer families . To support this claim sociologist Flaherty also states that having money problems in the family were a significant factor in younger children’s low attendance at school, which links to under achievements at school. The idea that children from working class backgrounds is also supported by sociologist Howard. Her claim is that children from poorer homes tend to have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals. This will ten result in absences from school which is proven to have a big impact on education achievement. In addition to this Wilkinson has studied a series of ten year olds, the lower the social background...
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...that are in a working-class have the tendency to underachieve in school, in contrast to those students that are middle-class, this is due to external and internal factors. External cultural factors are claimed to be a key cause of social class differences in educational achievement according to various sociologist. These factors consist of Cultural deprivation, cultural capital and material deprivation. Students from working class backgrounds often experience economic problems (poverty) more so than any other class; this is linked to material deprivation which these pupils are exposed to throughout their time. Being in poverty could entail the students not having enough money to buy all the essential equipment that they will need for educational attainment, supported by sociologist - Bull. This is closely linked to educational under achievement for example in 2006 33% of children on pupil premium (free school meals) achieved 5 A* to C grades in comparison to 61% not on pupil premium. However, statistics cannot prove that material deprivation is the cause of under achievement as the government doesn’t always collect statistics that is supporting the claim 100%, therefore the claim cannot generalise. To support this claim sociologist Flaherty also states that having money problems in the family were a significant factor in younger children’s low attendance at school, which links to under achievements at school. The idea that children from working class backgrounds is also...
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...Educational achievement is influenced by a variety of factors, each of which is interwoven with another. Gender influences educational achievement for a variety of reasons and in a number of different ways. I intend to describe the ways in which educational achievement differs between males and females and the possible reasons for this variation between the sexes. Social class and ethnicity also play important parts in affecting the achievement of individuals and groups. I intend to discuss their affects on results seen in education and the way in which these factors are interwoven with one another. I will highlight the importance of each of these factors in determining the achievement of individuals and groups in education and the reasons behind their importance. Over the last ten years, the gender gap between the achievement of males and females in education has been growing in developed countries. (Gibb, Fergusson and Horwood, 2008) On average, girls in England achieve better results in most subjects at all levels of education. The issue is not confined to the UK as the problem also presents itself in other countries. (Machin and McNally, 2005) Women in the USA have continued to be more educated than men since the mid 1970’s. (Charles and Luoh, 2003 in Machin and McNally, 2005) Females attain more school and post school qualifications than males and also attend university in higher numbers. (Alton-Lee and Pratt, 2001, in Gibb, Fergusson and Horwood, 2008) National statistics...
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...differences in educational achievement between social classes are the result of factors and processes within the school. Within school there are educational differences within achievement between social classes. Generally the middle class on the whole tend to do better and outperform the working class. Some of the reasons why are put forward by interactionists sociologists who believe that the difference is “a result of factors and processes within the school” which are internal factors which cause this difference in achievement between social classes. Interactionists look at processes in the school on a small scale interaction to try and figure out why there is a difference. However there are other views such as external factors which suggest it is factors outside the school which lead to differences in educational achievement between social classes. One internal factor which can be seen as partly responsible for differences in educational achievement between social classes is labelling. Labelling refers to the process of defining a person or group in a certain way. Labelling by teachers can contribute to differences in educational achievement. For example a study by Howard Becker discovered how teachers judged pupils according to how closely they fitted the image of the “ideal pupil” and based their judgement on many key factors such as work, conduct and appearance. The teachers saw the middle class as the closest to the ideal pupil and the working class as the furthest away...
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...Education inequalities and achievements In this essay different in educational achievements of social groups including class, gender and ethnicity as well as difference in achievement caused by out of school factors and in school factors will be discussed. Education has had a huge impact to peoples lives and there is a significant difference in the educational achievement based class, ethnicity and gender. A child`s social background has a huge impact on the success in education and their life in future. On average children from middle class families perform well in school, get better GCSE results, stay longer in full time education than children from the working class families. Majority of children from middle class families will go to university compared to the children from working class families. Statistics show that 77% of students from parents with higher professional jobs will achieve 5 or more GCSE, 66% from parents with lower professional, 40% from parents with intermediate jobs and 33% from parents with routine jobs or unemployed, reason being that most middle class parents will afford to take children to private schools or pay for private tuition (webb, r etal2008). We operationalize the concept of class in school by using the access of free school meals (FSM), which is offered to children whose parents get unemployment benefit and come from deprived areas. There is a huge difference in education attainment between pupil receiving FSM and not receiving FSM, Statistics...
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...Impact of Gender On Academic Achievement In Science And Social Science At Secondary Level | | | PRINCE PARMAR | B-18 BUDH NAGAR INDERPURI NEW DELHI - 110012 | MOB.NO. – 9868955054 EMAIL-ID –princeparmar815@gmail.com | Impact of Gender on Academic Achievement in Science and Social Science at Secondary Level *PRINCE PARMAR Abstract Academic achievement depends upon several factors.the present study focuses on gender differences in academic achievement.The aim of the study is to compare the achievement of boys and girls in science and social science at the secondary level.The sample comprises 400 students (200 boys and 200 girls) from the affiliated of C.B.S.E., Delhi. The data was collected using two self developed achievement test. The collected data was analysed with help of statistical technique like Mean, SD,”t” value. The findings show that there is significant difference in achievement of boys and girls at the secondary level. Introduction The future of the country rests on the shoulder of its children.These children would one day pave the path of progress and lift the country to the heights of development.Education is going to play a key role to turn these children into strong pillars. Education aims at making us civilised human...
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...In all social groups class plays a major role in the attainment of children in education. At all age groups in the education system it is apparent that working class children achieve lower attainment than children from a middle class background. It is suggested that the system is biased and designed for white, middle class children disregarding the needs of the working class and ethnic minority children. However most researchers believe that there is a similar ‘range of ability’ in every social class which could mean that class differences in educational achievement are not due to class differences in intelligence but more to do with other factors in society such as low expectations and low aspirations, lack of deferred gratification and economical issues all of which are more apparent in the working class. Children from working class backgrounds tend to experience economical hardship more so than any other class; this is often linked to material deprivation which these children are exposed to throughout their life. Material deprivation in social class five has been closely linked to the underachievement of working class pupils in schools since the 1960s when sociologists claimed that a child’s attainment could be linked to a lack of something which was then found to be a kind of deprivation. A lack of money and the things that money could buy combined with a lack of skills and the absence of a good attitude contributed to a child’s achievement in school. These children are...
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...Analyse the importance of poverty as an explanation of social class differences in educational achievement Introduction Sociologists have argued that social class differences in educational achievement can be explained in terms of 4 not necessarily mutually exclusive kinds of theory: IQ theory; theories emphasising social class differences in material circumstances; theories emphasising social class differences in subcultural attitudes and values; and theories emphasising the importance of within school labelling processes. Sociologists tend to be critical of IQ theory for several reasons and point out that there is good evidence to show that social class is a major determinant of educational success even independently of measured differences in IQ. I shall therefore concentrate upon the three more sociological approaches and in each case it may be argued that the factors which may disadvantage working class students in general are especially likely to disadvantage those working class students who experience poverty. However before analysing the possible effects of poverty on educational achievement some preliminary investigation of the nature and extent of poverty in the UK is first necessary and for these purposes we must first distinguish between absolute and relative poverty. Absolute poverty is said to occur when individuals lack the money necessary to ensure their basis physical survival whereas relative poverty exists where individuals have insufficient money to...
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...Section A: Education 0 1 Explain what is meant by the term ... (2 marks) • Meritocracy: such as equal opportunity or a system in which rewards are based on achievement/ability or similar. Partial answer: [fair rewards] • Immediate gratification: wanting rewards now, or leaving school as soon as possible to get a job, or similar. • Cultural capital: the values, etc that the middle class transmit to their children or that confer advantage in the education system. • Compensatory education: additional educational opportunities/resources directed at deprived or under-achieving pupils. • Cultural deprivation: a lack or deficit of values (or of norms, attitudes, skills or knowledge). Partial answer [immediate gratification / a lack of culture] • Vocational education: relating to a career or specific work roles. • Ethnocentric curriculum: the subjects taught in school being biased towards one particular culture. One mark for a partially satisfactory answer. 02 Suggest three ways/reasons ... (6 marks) Two marks for each of three appropriate ways. One mark will be awarded where there is a partially appropriate answers. Marxists see school as being similar to the world of work: • A hierarchy of authority • Fragmentation of work/learning • Extrinsic rewards • Based on competition • Alienation • Status differences. Boys’ educational under-achievement: • Lack of male teacher role models • Feminisation...
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...needs, including the need for social order. School is fair to all, and helps encourage positive social solidarity, and socialises students effectively. DURKHEIM * Durkheim saw education as the transmission of society’s norms from one generation to the other. This is vital to produce social solidarity. * The school is a miniature society, where students are trained to interact with other students much like they are trained to interact with other members of society. * He argues that individuals must be taught specialist skills in order to obtain a job in a highly complex division of labour in which people must cooperate. CRITICISMS * Marxists argue that educational institutes teach the dominant culture of the ruling class. * Studies by Willis and Hargreaves, for example, show that the transmission of norms is not always successful. Some students form anti-school subcultures, such as Wills’ Lads. PARSONS * Through the process of socialisation, education is used as a bridge between the family and society. * In the family, children are judged according to particularistic standards. Their status is ascribed. In society, the individual is judged according to equal standards. Status is achieved through merit. * Education eases these transitions. Exams judge based on merit, and rules such as wearing uniform makes all students equal. * Schools transmit two basic values: * The value of achievement * The value of equality...
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...Acknowledgements SFEU (Scottish Further Education Unit) gratefully acknowledges the contribution made to this publication by Learning and Teaching Scotland who have granted permission to use material previously produced by Higher Still Development Unit. SFEU also thanks SQA for permission to reproduce parts of the Arrangement documents. Copyright statement Documents on NQ Online can be downloaded free. However, where the publications are the copyright of Learning and Teaching Scotland, educational establishments in Scotland may reproduce them in whole or in part provided that the source is acknowledged and that no profit accrues at any stage. Other users of these publications should contact Learning and Teaching Scotland before reproducing any of them. Please note all rights held by the former Higher Still Development Unit continue to be held by Learning and Teaching Scotland. Contents Statement of Standards 3 Guide to Learning and Teaching Pack 7 Introduction to the Unit and Learning and Teaching Approaches 8 Class stratification 9 Recommended reading and recommended websites for class stratification 10 Introduction to social stratification 11 Class stratification 15 Functionalist theory of class stratification 24 Summary of functionalism 29 Marxist theory of class stratification ...
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...that teacher labelling causes social class differences in educational achievement The labelling theory suggests that teachers judge pupils by their characteristics that relate to class, gender and ethnicity. For example teachers are likely to label middle class pupils as bright and more able to achieve in education, whereas, teachers would see working class as less able pupils. The attachment of labels has important consequences for how others see a person and how he/ she comes to view themselves. Because the teacher judges pupils by their characteristics, the functionalist theory argues that the working class lack culture, which includes values, norms and language. Once labelled a deviant the label can attach to the whole identity of the student, not just the deviant act. Teachers perceive the ‘ideal pupil’ to be one who conforms to middle class standards of behaviour, which, according to Dune and Gazeley note that teachers tend to perceive the ‘ideal pupil’ as middle class. However there are other school factors which cause social class differences in educational achievement, such as, the self-fulfilling prophecy, streaming and pupil subculture. Interactionist sociologists have carried out studies on the effects of labelling. Interactionist sociologist’s study-small case, face-to-face, interactions between individuals, such as the classroom or the playground. Interactionist theories of education focus towards looking at what goes on inside education. They examined the way in which...
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...AQA AS Sociology SCLY2: Education with Sociological Research Methods Student Guide Introduction According to sociologist Michael Rutter we spend 15000 hours in the education system. Consequently the schooling process has a large role in forming our personalities. For some, education also manages to act as a way of socialising people into the norms and values that are seen to be important for a particular society. For others it can be seen as a source of conflict particularly when issues surrounding gender, class and ethnicity are put under the sociologists, ‘microscope’. It also provides an excellent indicator of how political ideology affects social policy, with the changing of governments impacting on educational policy. Some questions sociologists are interested in about education are: * Why do some pupils achieve more than others? * What is the relationship between education and the economy? * What is the purpose of education? * Do pupil’s school experiences vary? Assessment The course will be assessed by examination only. The examination will consist of various short answer question and essay style questions. Date of Exam: June 2010 Duration: 2 hr The Unit 2 exam is worth 60% of your final AS level grade. There will be 90 marks available on the paper. You will answer one question on the chosen topic, one question on sociological research methods in context and one question on research methods. Assessment Objectives ...
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...and wrong. Functionalist Parsons would argue that the education system is a focal socialising agency where children need to learn a new way of living if they are to cope with the wider world. If they aren't socialised properly then this will negatively impact their educational achievement. Labelling is also another factor that can cause social class differences in the education system. To label someone is to attach a name to someone. Interactionist Howard Becker would argue that teachers would often label students on stereotyped assumptions based on their class. Therefore working class pupils would often be labelled negatively while middle class children were labelled positively. Becker would argue that when children are labelled, a self fulfilling prophecy will occur which is an explanation of why working class students can sometimes not achieve much as they live up to their negative labels. Pupil subcultures could also be another factor which impacts on social class differences in education achievement. Lacey would argue that pro-school sub cultures would usually be common for middle class students as they enjoyed and tended to be committed to school. However the anti-school subculture was usually found with working pupils who rejected schools and turned to other things. Paul Willis would argue in favour of this as he would say working class lads were in the anti-school subculture as they knew that the education would fail them, so they showed signs of fatalism and accepted...
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...A peer-reviewed academic journal article that is a beneficial resource to our pursuit of seeking how education and social classes intertwine is an article called An Inside Look at Education and Poverty by Carol M. Swain. We will be discussing three key points from this peer-reviewed academic journal article. The first of the three key points that we will be discussing is the black/white achievement gap in educational performance that affects every economic level. The second key point that we will be discussing problems plaguing lower-class Americans. The third and final key point is a list of recommendations presented Carol Swain to improve the K- 12 educational experience for low-income students. The first key point is discussing is the black/white achievement gap in educational performance that affects every economic level. African American children reared in families earning $50,000/year score no better than Caucasian and Asians reared in families earning from $10,000-$20,000/year. These distinct differences in achievement levels grow themselves during the K-12 years. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) portrays familiar patterns of African Americans lagging behind other groups. Studies show that African Americans in their senior year of high school function at a skill level of four years behind the levels of Caucasian and Asian students. This information will be beneficial for us to understand...
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