REPORTING A STUDENT TO MEET THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS OR TO RELIEVE THE SYSTEM?
This article focuses on the role of the institution and its actors in the construction of students’ difficulties. A content analysis was conducted on forms reporting student conduct and requesting special assistance for students between 2017 and 2018 in a Swiss canton. Results suggest that in a direct-to- student assistance delivery system, students’ faults are underscored or exaggerated in an effort to obtain assistance, and to respond to both the student’s needs and the needs of the teachers who are confronted with the challenges of a diverse school population. It is therefore crucial to rethink how resources are organised and granted in order to counter certain forms of exclusion and foster a more inclusive school system.