Language:
There has also been a correlation between language and underachievement. Especially between ethnic minorities, one being Afro Caribbean girls. In this case black areas such as Brixton-South London-use street slang as a form communication. Evidence examines that they often use this form of language to give them a sense of identity, self-belonging and notion that they fit in. Also using street slang ‘creates a code which teachers cannot break’ (Kerswill, 2010). Afro Caribbean girls may do this due to the racist stereotypes teachers hold against them which was discussed above. In contrast this type of language is inadequate to meet the demands of the education system, which could often be a justification of educational failure. Bernstein (1924) highlighted there are two types of speech codes, restricted code context of speech which is not understood by others for example, in this particular case street slang. Additionally, the other being the elaborated code, in this type of speech meanings are more explicit and spelling is more universalistic. Bernstein illustrated ethnic minorities for example Afro Caribbean girls are unfamiliar with the elaborated code. Within the classroom teachers use the elaborated code, therefore in this case Afro Caribbean girls fail to understand the information being taught due to the language barrier and fail in terms of educational achievement.