Externalising behaviours (e.g. deviant, disruptive, oppositional behaviour) are consistently shown to be risk factors for ESL. Civic competence (via participation in extracurricular activities) as well as social competence constitute protective factors. Peers also play a role. Supporting students’ social and emotional adjustment early on is warranted.
Eccles, J. S.
Bibliography
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Students’ social and civic competencies: Predictors of ESL
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How does community learning work and how does it help reduce ESL?
With community learning, the entire school community engages in a cohesive and collaborative action with external agents (e.g. sport, cultural, industrial organisations). It promotes informal educator-student relations and teaching methods and thus encourages own action and participation in the learning process of (potential) ESL student. It accounts for students’ needs and interests.
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The importance of the social and emotional competencies of educational staff
The teacher’s social and emotional competencies are linked to healthy student-teacher relationships which, in turn, create better student social, emotional and academic outcomes, including lower levels of ESL. Such competencies of the teacher can be acquired in pre-service or in-service teacher education.
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Interplay of factors that contribute to ESL at school level
Although ESL is impacted by the composition of a school (e.g. mean SES) and its structure (e.g. size), school practices, especially the way curriculum is delivered in practice as well as caring, supportive and respectful teachers (and other school staff) who believe in students’ ability to succeed, seem particularly important for ensuring (potential) ESLers remain in school.
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Interplay of factors that contribute to ESL at the system level
Aspects of the education system that concern the risk of ESL include the socio-economic segregation of schools, early tracking and grade retention. In that regard, protective aspects are high quality and accessible ECEC and VET. Well-managed transitions between educational levels that reflect a student’s changing needs in order to ensure the provision of a developmentally appropriate and engaging context are called for.
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ESL prevention extended to the home environment: the relationship between (authoritative) parenting style and ESL
Research emphasises the positive impact of an authoritative parenting style on school achievements, school engagement and also directly on ESL. Parents’ behaviour that is accepting, warm and encouraging yet also firm and with clear expectations has the most favourable impact on a child’s/adolescent’s development and also acts as an ESL preventive factor. Other parenting styles (authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved) have been examined less.
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Local community support in students’ self-concept development, academic achievement and ESL prevention
Through high-quality, community-based activities open to all students (including high-risk students), the community can play a significant role in building students’ positive academic self-concept and promote overall positive development that can, in turn, lead to lower levels of ESL.
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The student’s academic self-concept and its link with ESL
Supporting the development of a positive academic self-concept is an important factor in preventing ESL. In order to support its development, teachers should pay attention to how they provide feedback to their students (i.e. negative feedback should only be directed to the behaviour/achievement/result and never to the person).
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Non-formal motivational focuses for potential early school leavers
It is possible to foster the learning motivation of potential ESLrs already in mainstream education by applying non-formal and informal educational principles to teaching and learning processes. The teacher has two main pathways for enhancing the motivation of at-risk students: by recognising their informally gained knowledge and by organising non-formal learning environments and learning experiences.