AQA A-Level Sociology: Class Differences in Achievement - Streaming

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All credit goes to the 'AQA A Level Sociology Book One [Including AS Level]'. Any opinions expressed are the opinions of the sociologists mentioned. Author credits: Rob Webb, Hal Westergaard, Keith Trobe and Annie Townend
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AQA A-Level Sociology: Class Differences in Achievement - Streaming
  1. Streaming involves separating children into different ability groups or classes called 'streams'
    1. Each ability group is then taught separately from the others for all subjects.
      1. Studies show that the self-fulfilling prophecy is particularly likely to occur when children are streamed.
    2. 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.
      1. 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'.
        1. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy in which the pupils live up to their teachers' low expectations by underachieving.
          1. Douglas found that children placed in a lower stream at age 8 had suffered a decline in their IQ score by age 11.
            1. By contrast, middle-class pupils tend to benefit from streaming.
              1. 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.
                1. Douglas found that children placed in a higher stream at age 8 improved their IQ score by age 11.
        2. STREAMING & THE A-TO-C ECONOMY
          1. 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.
            1. 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.
              1. This denies them the knowledge and opportunity needed to gain good grades and widens the class gap in achievement.
                1. Gillborn and Youdell link this to the policy of publishing exam league tables. These rank each school according to it's exam performance.
                  1. Schools need to have a good league table position in order to attract pupils and funding.
                    1. Publishing league tables creates what Gillborn and Youdell call an 'A-to-C economy' in schools.
                      1. 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.
                        1. Gillborn and Youdell call this process 'educational triage'.
                          1. '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.
                            1. Medics have to sort casualties into three categories
                              1. The 'waking wounded' - who can be ignored as they will survive.
                                1. Those who will die anyway, who can be ignored.
                                  1. Those with a chance of survival, who are given treatment in the hope of saving them.
                                2. The A-to-C economy produces educational triage.
                                  1. Schools categorise pupils into three types
                                    1. Those who will pass anyway and can be left to get on with it.
                                      1. Those with potential, who will be helped to get a grade C or better.
                                        1. Hopeless cases, who are doomed to fail.
                      2. Teachers sort pupils into the educational triage by using a stereotypical view of working-class pupils as lacking ability.
                        1. 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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