These are small scale studies that focus on what happens within schools and the classroom – (that is research that focuses on these areas) – these are known as known as micro or small scale studies

From this perspective pupils aren’t simply passive (structuralist ie Feminist) but active – pupils and teachers’ define what happens in the classroom

Hargreaves (1971), Cicourel & Kitsuse (1971), Becker (1971), Keddie (1971) researched how non-academic factors such as speech, dress, personality, enthusiasm for work, influence a teacher’s evaluation of a pupil.

This stereotype is known as the Halo Effect This process also ‘labels’ students e.g.

thick, slow, bright, intelligent etc Rosenthal & Jacobson found this created a

self-fulfilling prophecy – you become your label

Ball’s research in Beachside Comprehensive looked at the influence of banding or streaming on the pupil/teacher relationship.

Setting and streaming puts children of the same ability together

bright kids inspire and motivate weaker kids

stronger students always help the weaker ones

teachers always provide different levels of work so we everyone can achieve

bright kids mixed with weaker kids helps them understand things better

Weak kids never get what’s going on The bright kids always get things quicker Weak kids feel stupid when the bright

kids get things and they don’t Weak kids keep quite in lessons and let

the clever kids do all the talking The teacher ignores those that can’t cope

Everyone can be taught at the same academic level

Students’ feel better about themselves as understand the lessons more

Lessons can be taught at a better pace Teachers can deliver lessons that

everyone can follow Top students can learner quicker and

achieve more

The top sets are given all the teachers’ attention as they are seen as successful

Lower sets are ignored by teachers as these students are ‘no-hopers’

Bright kids are told they are bright and behave accordingly with high self-esteem

Weaker kids are told they are ‘thick’ and behave accordingly, they have low-self esteem

Rosenthal & Jacobson (1968) looked at the role of self-fulfilling prophecy how people act out the ‘label’ they’ve been given

Willis’ research looked at the anti-school culture or counter school sub-culture created by low achieving boys

In order to achieve a high status by non-academic methods they breaking school rules, mess about etc

This relatively small group of boys create their own culture with their own norms & values – a sub-culture