INTELLIGENCE AND EDUCATION

Intelligence And Education

Intelligence And Education

Introduction

This work examines the above mentioned hypothesis and explores, within the context of the research carried out in the field, the socio-economic factors that influence the attainment of children at schools. It begins by exploring the role intelligence plays in a pupil's success. It then states the debate in the discipline over schooling. Through examples it illustrates the argument in affirmative of the hypothesis. Having mentioned the major factors that affect the performance of a child it concludes that it is undoubtedly the case that the socio-economic factors within the education system do influence the attainment of a student.

Intelligence

Charles Murray argues that 'genetic intellectual potential determines performance in school'. This was said to be because, 'the lower-class people generally have lower genetic intellectual abilities'. It seemed a common sense because if education was about acquiring the knowledge, job skills, cultured norms and values then surely intelligence should have the potential to divide a group of students according to the 'strength of their brains'. This indicated that the intelligence of a child plays key role in determining his or her place in the society.( Marcus, 37)

There however, seems a little doubt amongst sociologists in the fact that the achievement of an individual does not rely only upon his or her intelligence. The circumstances around a student also play a significant role in deciding his or her fate. Intelligence in itself can not remain immune from surrounding factors. Crosland acknowledged in what he called 'the strong version' of the concept of equality that 'the measured intelligence is affected by such factors as environment, poverty and parental education.( Marcus, 43)

The background

This subject has dominated the sociologists world for many decades. Sociologists from various schools of thought would generally agree that socialisation plays an important part in shaping people and their roles in society, through institutions like the family, the education and consequently the workplace.The governments around the world and at home have tried to equalize the opportunities available to children, regardless of their background. They are in pursuit of a egalitarian education system.( Meighan, 155)

Conflict theorists argue that schools routinely tailor education according to students' social back ground, thereby perpetuating social inequality. Functionalist theorists like Talcott Parsons have focused on how education helps to maintain society and its smooth running. Meighan called all of us 'empty vassals, waiting to be integrated by teachers'. He believes the schools are an 'integrating force' of our society that keeps all of us together.( Meighan, 157)

The Education Act of 1944 is the best example to illustrate this point. It was argued that the psychological theories of intelligence were, as was believed, able to predict future attainment of a child at a relatively early stage. It was suggested that the intelligence an innate and static force could be measured and used to offer children their 'right' place in the society. Through Butler Act the government tried to address the issue of fairness in the national education ...