Moving from a continuum to a community: reconceptualising the provision of support

The notion of the continuum is applied to special education in diverse contexts across many nations. This paper explores its conceptual underpinnings, drawing upon a systematic search of the literature to review recurring ideas associated with the notion and to explicate both its uses and short-comings. Through a thematic analysis of the literature the research team derived twenty-nine continua, situated within six broad groupings (space, students, staffing, support, strategies and systems). This provides a clear structure for reconsidering the issues which the notion of the continuum is supposed to describe and enables a reconceptualisation of how the delivery of services is represented. We present the initial underpinnings for a community of provision, in which settings and services work together to provide learning and support for all children and young people in their locality

Linking tests of English for academic purposes to the CEFR: the score user’s perspective

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely used in setting language proficiency requirements, including for international students seeking access to university courses taught in English. When different language examinations have been related to the CEFR, the process is claimed to help score users, such as university admissions staff, to compare and evaluate these examinations as tools for selecting qualified applicants. This study analyses the linking claims made for four internationally recognised tests of English widely used in university admissions. It uses the Council of Europe’s (2009) suggested stages of specification, standard setting, and empirical validation to frame an evaluation of the extent to which, in this context, the CEFR has fulfilled its potential to “facilitate comparisons between different systems of qualifications.” Findings show that testing agencies make little use of CEFR categories to explain test content; represent the relationships between their tests and the framework in different terms; and arrive at conflicting conclusions about the correspondences between test scores and CEFR levels. This raises questions about the capacity of the CEFR to communicate competing views of a test construct within a coherent overarching structure

Mental Health Literacy and Help-Giving Responses in Irish Adolescents

This study assessed mental health literacy in Irish adolescents (N = 187), and explored participants’ help-giving responses toward hypothetical depressed peers. Participants read five vignettes, each describing an adolescent experiencing a life difficulty; two of the characters met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., DSM-IV) criteria for depression. The majority of participants could not identify depression or potential suicidality, but felt concerned for the depressed characters’ well-being. Most participants stated they would provide help if they were the depressed characters’ friends. Correct identification of depression did not influence the type of help offered. A significant proportion of participants did not mention engaging an adult’s assistance, and assessing for suicidality was not mentioned by any participant. Gender differences were found in mental health literacy and the type of responses offered. Education that emphasizes the importance of informing an adult and assessing for suicidal risk is recommended