Access the Importance of Cultural Factors in Causing Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement.

1097 Words5 Pages
There are many different factors that cause social class differences in educational achievement. In this essay I will be discussing the cultural factors of poverty and material deprivation, cultural deprivation, family socialisation and factors within the school. Some sociologists argue that material factors and the home background of students affect the attainment of students. They believe to due to the lack of income from working class parents, the students don’t receive a proper diet with vitamins, meaning they lack concentration. Also they will have a weaker immune system causing them to miss school due to illness. They also believe material deprivation causes them to have less school resources such as books and pens so they have fewer opportunities to learn. They have no access to private schools and tuition. Pupils in private schools or having private tuition are proven to receive higher grades than those in public schools. This was supported by the National Child Development Study which found that children from low income households were an average of 9 months behind in their education compared to others. It showed that material factors such as a poor diet, overcrowded housing and lack of resources have an impact on working class children’s education. Additionally, family socialisation also is believed to affect the social class differences in achievement. Parental interest is shown to have a big impact. JWB Douglas did a longitudinal study of 5’362 children in 1964 which continued until they were 16. It was a large study so it was a good generalization but there were some faults within his study. The analysis was measured by IQ tests which aren’t perceived as accurate or reliable and people drop out due to death, illness and other matters. Nevertheless the study showed that working class children are less likely to stay at school and go onto higher
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