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.
Downes, P.
Bibliography
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Students’ social and civic competencies: Predictors of ESL
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The emergence, importance and challenges of a cross-sectorial approach to ESL
The multi-faceted nature of the ESL problem in turn calls for a multi-faceted response. Cross-sectoral cooperation is seen a promising solution in this regard. Although highly promoted in EU policy documents, it encounters a lack of conceptual clarity and various challenges to its practical implementation. The proper evaluation of practices currently in place across the EU would help with its development.
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Team cooperation in addressing ESL – lessons learnt from health and social care and education
The many lessons from health, social and education settings for multi-professional teams dealing with ESL have been well researched (e.g. team training, sufficient time, funding and resources). Moreover, specifically for ESL teams, discussing how they approach ESL prevention, their understanding of ESL as well as creating an educational alliance are important. However, putting the recommendations into practice remains a challenge.
Keywords : early school leaving -
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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Mental health as a risk factor for ESL: diagnostics, prevention, intervention
Mental health problems (e.g. anxiety, depression) are some of the risk factors for ESL and, by focusing on mental health prevention and intervention programmes in the school environment, we can reduce the many negative consequences poor mental health has on both the individual and community levels.
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The role of career guidance in ESL
Career guidance (with appropriate methods, contents, early provision, the actors involved) can overcome two important (individual) ESL risk factors – the lack of relevance of schooling and the lack of educational/career aspirations. The systematic development of career management skills helps potential ESLrs perceive their schooling as a meaningful part of their lifelong personal, social and career development.
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Developing healthy social and cultural capital and its effects on education
Although social and cultural capital is to some extent determined, it is important to be aware that individuals’ social capital can also be built and strengthened via the family, peers, school and wider local community. Not only does it encourage a student’s persistence in education, it can also help overcome the effects of a deficit in cultural capital on an individual’s educational path.
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Relational expertise as a prerequisite for effective multi-professional collaboration on ESL
Relational expertise is the ability to recognise and respond to other professionals’ standpoints, while at the same time utilising the knowledge that underpins one’s own practice. This deepens professionals’ understanding of a certain problem and enriches practice, making it an ideal way to help improve the ways multi-professional teams tackling ESL operate.