10431101
Description
AQA A-Level Sociology: Class Differences in Achievement - Streaming
- Streaming involves separating
children into different ability
groups or classes called 'streams'
- Each ability group is then
taught separately from
the others for all subjects.
- Studies show that the self-fulfilling
prophecy is particularly likely to occur
when children are streamed.
- Studies show that the self-fulfilling
prophecy is particularly likely to occur
when children are streamed.
- Each ability group is then
taught separately from
the others for all subjects.
- Howard Becker shows that teachers do not
usually see working-class children as ideal
pupils. They tend to see them as lacking
ability and have low expectations of them.
- Once streamed, it is usually difficult to
move up to a higher stream; children are
locked into their teachers' low expectations
of them. Children in lower streams 'get the
message' that their teachers have written
them off as 'no-hopers'.
- This creates a self-fulfilling
prophecy in which the pupils live
up to their teachers' low
expectations by underachieving.
- Douglas found that children placed in a
lower stream at age 8 had suffered a
decline in their IQ score by age 11.
- By contrast, middle-class
pupils tend to benefit
from streaming.
- They are likely to be placed in
higher streams, reflecting
teachers' views of them as
ideal pupils. Consequently, they
develop a more positive
self-image and gain
confidence, thereby working
hard to improve their grades.
- Douglas found that children
placed in a higher stream at
age 8 improved their IQ score
by age 11.
- Douglas found that children
placed in a higher stream at
age 8 improved their IQ score
by age 11.
- They are likely to be placed in
higher streams, reflecting
teachers' views of them as
ideal pupils. Consequently, they
develop a more positive
self-image and gain
confidence, thereby working
hard to improve their grades.
- By contrast, middle-class
pupils tend to benefit
from streaming.
- Douglas found that children placed in a
lower stream at age 8 had suffered a
decline in their IQ score by age 11.
- This creates a self-fulfilling
prophecy in which the pupils live
up to their teachers' low
expectations by underachieving.
- STREAMING & THE A-TO-C ECONOMY
- A study of two London
secondary schools by David
Gillborn and Deborah Youdell
(2001) shows how teachers use
stereotypical notions of 'ability'
to stream pupils.
- They found that teachers are less likely to see
working-class pupils as having ability.
Consequently, these pupils are more likely to
be placed in lower streams and entered for
lower-tier GCSEs.
- This denies them the
knowledge and opportunity
needed to gain good grades
and widens the class gap in
achievement.
- Gillborn and Youdell link this to the policy of
publishing exam league tables. These rank each school
according to it's exam performance.
- Schools need to have a good league
table position in order to attract
pupils and funding.
- Publishing league tables creates
what Gillborn and Youdell call an
'A-to-C economy' in schools.
- This is a system in which schools
focus their time, effort and
resources on those pupils they see
as having the potential to get five
grade Cs and so boost the school's
league table position.
- Gillborn and Youdell call this process 'educational triage'.
- 'Triage' means 'sorting'. This term is used to describe
the process on battlefields, whereby medical staff
decide who is to be given the scarce medical resources
they have.
- Medics have to sort casualties into three categories
- The 'waking wounded' -
who can be ignored as
they will survive.
- Those who will die
anyway, who can be
ignored.
- Those with a chance of
survival, who are given
treatment in the hope of
saving them.
- The 'waking wounded' -
who can be ignored as
they will survive.
- Medics have to sort casualties into three categories
- The A-to-C economy produces educational
triage.
- Schools categorise pupils into three types
- Those who will
pass anyway and
can be left to get
on with it.
- Those with potential,
who will be helped to get
a grade C or better.
- Hopeless cases, who are doomed to
fail.
- Those who will
pass anyway and
can be left to get
on with it.
- Schools categorise pupils into three types
- 'Triage' means 'sorting'. This term is used to describe
the process on battlefields, whereby medical staff
decide who is to be given the scarce medical resources
they have.
- Gillborn and Youdell call this process 'educational triage'.
- This is a system in which schools
focus their time, effort and
resources on those pupils they see
as having the potential to get five
grade Cs and so boost the school's
league table position.
- Schools need to have a good league
table position in order to attract
pupils and funding.
- Gillborn and Youdell link this to the policy of
publishing exam league tables. These rank each school
according to it's exam performance.
- This denies them the
knowledge and opportunity
needed to gain good grades
and widens the class gap in
achievement.
- They found that teachers are less likely to see
working-class pupils as having ability.
Consequently, these pupils are more likely to
be placed in lower streams and entered for
lower-tier GCSEs.
- A study of two London
secondary schools by David
Gillborn and Deborah Youdell
(2001) shows how teachers use
stereotypical notions of 'ability'
to stream pupils.
- Teachers sort pupils into the
educational triage by using a
stereotypical view of
working-class pupils as
lacking ability.
- Consequently, they are likely to be labelled
as 'hopeless cases' and simply
'warehoused' in the bottom sets. This
produces a self-fulfilling prophecy and
failure.
- Consequently, they are likely to be labelled
as 'hopeless cases' and simply
'warehoused' in the bottom sets. This
produces a self-fulfilling prophecy and
failure.
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