LESSON PLAN

Code Theory of Basil Bernstein

I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Differentiate the two language codes;
2. Compose a yell, chant or cheer about social classes, cultures and
language codes ; and
3. give the importance of language in education through group activity.

II. Subject Matter

Topic: Sociological Theories That Are Useful in the Study of Social Dimensions of
Education

Subtopic: Code Theory of Basil Bernstein

 Bernstein’s View on Language, Culture, and Social Class
 Bernstein’s View on Society and Language Codes
 Bernstein’s View on School

Reference(s): Tamayo, A.I. (2013). Social Dimensions of Education. Sociological

Theories That Are Useful in the Study of Social Dimensions of Education. Rex Pub., Manila,
Philippines. pp. 36 – 38.

Materials: visual aid and puzzled words

III. Procedure

A. Preliminary Activities
- Greetings
- Prayer
- Arranging of chairs
- Checking of attendance

B. Motivation

Mechanics:
- This activity is entitled “Group Hug!”
- The students are required to stand up and let them move their body for a
few seconds.
- Once the teacher will say a number; the students will group themselves
according to the number that was mentioned.
- At the count of three, if there are students that don’t have a group yet,
they are now eliminated from the game.
- The last man/pair standing will receive a price (Php 20.00)

C. Review of the past lesson

(The teacher will ask the students about the past lesson.)
D. Lesson Proper

1. Activity - “Buzzled”
(The teacher will group the students into three.)

- The teacher will give each group a word-pair puzzle.

- They will assemble first the puzzled word-pair and then, they will make
use the word-pair into yell, chant or cheer.
- Each group will present their output in a 2 minutes performance.
Pair of Words:
Group 1 - Dominant and Subservient
Group 2 - High and Low
Group 3 - Elaborated and Restricted

2. Analysis
1. How do you find this activity?
2. What do you think of these words? What can you say about them?

3. Abstraction
1. Code theory of Basil Bernstein was concerned with the production,
distribution, and reproduction of “official knowledge” and how this
knowledge was related to structurally determined power relations.

2. The two social classes that divided the society:

- a dominant upper/middle class
- a subservient working class

3. Bernstein’s View on Language, Culture, and Social Class

- How does Basil Bernstein view the relation between language and
social class?
- The implication of academic success of students in school matters
on the both language and social class.
- What are the pre-given language competencies that become the
bases of school performance?
- Sets of vocabulary, accent and expressions that reflect their cultural
capital and social class origins.
- What is Symbolic Capital?
- It is one of the most significant forms of capital as it carries and
determines the value of one’s education.

4. Bernstein’s View on Society and Language Codes

- The two language codes:
1. Elaborated code – formal and considered acceptable in the
classroom.
2. Restricted code – informal and considered inappropriate and
deviant in the classroom.

- Elaborated code is more analytical and narrative and has

characteristics.
 - Restricted code is culturally deficient. It is more descriptive and
narrative, and characterized to be grammatically incorrect.

5. Bernstein’s View on School

- The social class differences in the language or communication codes
of working class and middle class children reflect class and power
relations in school.
- Because of this language barrier, they tend to have poor academic
performance and low educational aspirations, manifested by
absenteeism, tardiness, bullying and the like.
- Bernstein concludes two important points about education:
1. Schools reproduce what they are ideologically committed to
eradicating; and
2. success in education depends fundamentally on the language
children acquired in their earliest years.

4. Application
Group Activity – “Connect the thought”
(The teacher will tell them to form two lines in each group.)
- The teacher will give a question for each group.
- They will answer in 4 minutes. Each member will answer it in a sentence,
one by one.
- The score will be based according to the given criteria.

Criteria:
- Sentence structure 15%
- Relativity of each sentence 15%
- Overall content 20%
Total: 50%
The teacher will ask these questions:
1. How do you value the importance of Language in education?
2. As future educator, how can you stop the language barrier inside the
classroom?
3. Do you agree that language affects the academic performance of the
students? Why?

IV. Evaluation
Choose the best answer.

1. On the stated situation below which one undergoes “Language Barrier”?

a. Gino is one of the poor students in school

b. Karla did not understand the lesson of her math teacher
c. A Filipina who lives in Korea
d. Darla is a native woman who went to a private school

2. What is the view of Bernstein on the relationship between language and social class?

a. It is related to structurally determined power relations.

b. It is the social class differences in the language or communication codes of
working class and middle class.
c. It is the implication to the academic success of students in school.
d. It is the demands and challenges of the school.
 3. According to the Code Theory of Basil Bernstein, what is Language Code?

a. It is a set of organizing principles behind the language employed by members of a

social group.
b. It is the different sets of vocabulary, accent and expressions that reflect their social
capital and social class origins.
c. It is the sets of organizing principles of language that the members of society
commonly use.
d. It is the different sets of competencies of language employed by members within
the society.

4. What point about education did Bernstein concluded?

a. The social class differences in the language or communication codes of working

class and middle class children reflect the class and power relations in school.
b. The production, distribution, and reproduction of “official knowledge” determined
power relations.
c. The implication to the academic success of students in school is base on the
language they use.
d. Success in education depends fundamentally on the language children acquired in
their earliest years.

5. What factor causes the child to possess absenteeism, tardiness and bullying?

a. The Language Code

b. The culture of the child
c. The social class of the child
d. The Language Barrier

V. Assignment

Research about the Four Broad Functions of Schools and make a short description
about it. Write it in a ½ sheet of paper.

Prepared by:

EDERLYN QUINE M. MALALUAN

BSEd – Mathematics 3rd Year