Explanations for differential educational achievement

Explanations for differential educational achievement

Cultural Factors and Differential Educational Achievement

• Cultural Deprivation Theory claims that children from lower social classes underachieve because they lack the correct culture, such as language and problem-solving skills.
• Bernstein differentiated between ‘restricted code’ and ‘elaborated code’. Working class children were said to predominantly use ‘restricted code’ which maintained their disadvantage in school.
• Bourdieu expanded on this with his concept of cultural capital, arguing that middle class children possess more valuable cultural skills and knowledge, which boosts their success in education.

Material Factors and Differential Educational Achievement

• Material deprivation refers to the physical resources that promote or hinder educational achievement, including factors such as poor housing, low income, poor diet and limited access to educational resources.
• Smith and Noble state that material deprivation can create a series of barriers that prevent children from lower income families from succeeding in education.

Social Class and Differential Educational Achievement

• Children from middle and upper classes often perform better in exams compared to children from working class backgrounds, a discrepancy often attributed to both material and cultural factors.
• Bowles and Gintis propose the ‘Correspondence Theory’: the structure and hierarchy of the school mirrors the workplace, preparing working class children for their future roles in the working class.

Ethnicity and Differential Educational Achievement

• Patterns of achievement vary significantly between different ethnic groups, and are often influenced by factors such as racism, cultural experiences and linguistic skills.
• Gillborn and Mirza found that African Caribbean and Pakistani pupils were most likely to be excluded from school, indicating institutional racism.
• Ball argues that the curriculum can be ethnocentric, disadvantaging non-white, non-British pupils.

Gender and Differential Educational Achievement+

• Statistically, girls tend to outperform boys in most subjects and at all levels of education. This has been explained through changing gender roles, school environments, and teaching strategies.
• Francis states that boys are more likely to be disruptive and be disciplined harshly, leading to increased school disaffection.
• Arnot found that changing attitudes to female employment and new forms of femininity have influenced girl’s achievement levels in schools.

Remember, differentiating between cultural, material, and social factors can help provide a comprehensive insight into the reasons for differential educational achievement. Consider the interplay of these factors as well, as they often work in tandem rather than individually.