Student Interviews 1: A + B

So in these series of interviews I am trying to find student approaches to background knowledge and wider cultural exposure. Do they think it helps, do they attach importance to it, or is there a disengagement with wider cultural work generally?





These two students represent students who are from Immigrant families who speak a different language at home and represent students without a wide range of 'high culture' background knowledge. They are both very able academically and have achieved well in most areas at GCSE and at AS level. However they generally seem quite reticent to acknowledge both the need for or the use of wider cultural capital.

They also highlight:

- Wider knowledge is necessary for coursework and their lessons. Teachers do ask for independent research for example.

- They said that often their courses do have words or phrases that they find difficult or understand but in the event of that happening they "just google it or just ask their teacher". They dont feel that they are being "left behind" even though they can remember instances in class in which a teacher and a student had a conversation about something they knew little about.

- They also highlight the lack of importance ascribed to cultural or background knowledge and cultural texts in general: "When you go to an Art Gallery and (other) people know a lot.. but you might be just sitting there.. but it doesnt really matter its not a problem."

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