Teacher’s expectations Labelling in Education
Teachers have conveyed labelling beliefs to their pupils based on the way they Labelling is the process of attaching a meaning or definition to someone.
interacted with them. In terms of labelling in education, teachers can refer to students as ‘bright’, ‘thick’,
Interactions mainly involved the body language and the amount of attention and troublemakers or hardworking.
encouragement they were given.
This demonstrates the self-fulfilling prophecy. By accepting the prediction that some Studies have shown that teachers in the past mostly label students based on their
students would spurt ahead, they essentially made it happen. ethnicity or class. In turn, middle class students can be perceived as higher
The random assumptions that turned into accurate outcomes suggests that teachers achieving than lower class students.
can actually make the student into their desired type.
This correlates with the interactionist principle. What people believe to
be true will have real effects, despite the original credibility. Pupils’ work, conduct and appearance also play a How it can
part but essentially teachers typically see pupils differ by areas
- HOWEVER… from middle class backgrounds as most desirable.
Labelling in The self fulfilling prophecy is able to In working class areas (where
produce underachievement in the behaviour discipline is typically
Secondary schools same way, through negative and low an issue), teachers may view
expectations (as aforementioned). the ideal student being
In multiple state schools, teachers were
unconcerned about the underachievement of passive, obedient and quiet.
working class pupils or thought there was little to
On the other hand, in middle class areas (where behaviour
be done to change it.
isn’t much of an issue) the ideal pupil may possess
On the other hand, they believed that middle class pupils could rise qualities like personality and academic ability
above underachievement.
Education -
Interactionism
The disbelief around lower class pupils stemmed from the role of the (Labelling) A self-fulfilling prophecy is a
pupils’ home backgrounds. The self-fulfilling prophecy prediction that comes true by
They labelled working class parents as being uninterested in their virtue of having it been made.
children’s education but labelled middle class parents as being
supportive. Interactionists argue that labelling can affect a pupil’s achievement
through the pupil entering a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
Rist (1970) - Case Study of
This ‘supportive’ label derived from Labelling in Primary schools An example of a self-fulfilling prophecy is:
parents funding music lessons or
attending parents evenings. His study of an American kindergarten showed that 1. Teacher labels pupil. Based on this the
labelling takes place from the jump. teacher will make a prediction.
From the beginning of a child’s educational career, the teacher already uses 2. The teacher treats the pupil in
information about a child’s home background and appearance to place them with accordance to their prediction, acting as
specific pupils in separate groups, seating groups at different tables. if their prediction is already true.
Children that are defined as fast learners by the teacher tend to be middle class and of clean appearance. 3. Pupil internalises teacher’s expectation
These children were seated closest to the teacher at the front and given most encouragement. which becomes their self-concept or
self-image, so they feel the need to act
Children that are of lower achieving groups were seated further away, and were more likely to be working-class pupils. to become the way their teacher
They were given lower-level books to read and fewer chances to demonstrate their ability; e.g. reading as a group and believed them to be in the first place.
not individually.
Teachers have conveyed labelling beliefs to their pupils based on the way they Labelling is the process of attaching a meaning or definition to someone.
interacted with them. In terms of labelling in education, teachers can refer to students as ‘bright’, ‘thick’,
Interactions mainly involved the body language and the amount of attention and troublemakers or hardworking.
encouragement they were given.
This demonstrates the self-fulfilling prophecy. By accepting the prediction that some Studies have shown that teachers in the past mostly label students based on their
students would spurt ahead, they essentially made it happen. ethnicity or class. In turn, middle class students can be perceived as higher
The random assumptions that turned into accurate outcomes suggests that teachers achieving than lower class students.
can actually make the student into their desired type.
This correlates with the interactionist principle. What people believe to
be true will have real effects, despite the original credibility. Pupils’ work, conduct and appearance also play a How it can
part but essentially teachers typically see pupils differ by areas
- HOWEVER… from middle class backgrounds as most desirable.
Labelling in The self fulfilling prophecy is able to In working class areas (where
produce underachievement in the behaviour discipline is typically
Secondary schools same way, through negative and low an issue), teachers may view
expectations (as aforementioned). the ideal student being
In multiple state schools, teachers were
unconcerned about the underachievement of passive, obedient and quiet.
working class pupils or thought there was little to
On the other hand, in middle class areas (where behaviour
be done to change it.
isn’t much of an issue) the ideal pupil may possess
On the other hand, they believed that middle class pupils could rise qualities like personality and academic ability
above underachievement.
Education -
Interactionism
The disbelief around lower class pupils stemmed from the role of the (Labelling) A self-fulfilling prophecy is a
pupils’ home backgrounds. The self-fulfilling prophecy prediction that comes true by
They labelled working class parents as being uninterested in their virtue of having it been made.
children’s education but labelled middle class parents as being
supportive. Interactionists argue that labelling can affect a pupil’s achievement
through the pupil entering a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
Rist (1970) - Case Study of
This ‘supportive’ label derived from Labelling in Primary schools An example of a self-fulfilling prophecy is:
parents funding music lessons or
attending parents evenings. His study of an American kindergarten showed that 1. Teacher labels pupil. Based on this the
labelling takes place from the jump. teacher will make a prediction.
From the beginning of a child’s educational career, the teacher already uses 2. The teacher treats the pupil in
information about a child’s home background and appearance to place them with accordance to their prediction, acting as
specific pupils in separate groups, seating groups at different tables. if their prediction is already true.
Children that are defined as fast learners by the teacher tend to be middle class and of clean appearance. 3. Pupil internalises teacher’s expectation
These children were seated closest to the teacher at the front and given most encouragement. which becomes their self-concept or
self-image, so they feel the need to act
Children that are of lower achieving groups were seated further away, and were more likely to be working-class pupils. to become the way their teacher
They were given lower-level books to read and fewer chances to demonstrate their ability; e.g. reading as a group and believed them to be in the first place.
not individually.
