Caribbean coral reefs are declining due to a mosaic of local and global stresses, including climate change-induced thermal stress. Species and assemblage responses differ due to factors that are not easily identifiable or quantifiable. We calculated a novel species-specific metric of coral bleaching response, taxon-α and -β, which relates the response of a species to that of its assemblages for 16 species over 18 assemblages. By contextualizing species responses within the response of their assemblages, the effects of environmental factors are removed and intrinsic differences among taxa are revealed. Most corals experience either a saturation response, overly-sensitive to weak stress (α > 0) but under-responsive compared to assemblage bleaching (β < 1), or a threshold response, insensitive to weak stress (α < 0) but over-responsive compared to assemblage bleaching (β > 1). This metric may help reveal key factors of bleaching susceptibility and identify species as targets for conservation.

Currently, there are no Hebrew (L2) reading assessments that have been tested to obtain evidence for reliability and validity on which to base decisions about Hebrew instruction. The authors developed a Hebrew benchmark assessment tool for first grade students modeled after Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, a standardized test of accuracy and fluency used to identify at-risk students and to monitor student progress. Results of pilot data collection (N = 53) provide evidence for strong alternate form reliability for this measure, as well as evidence for content, face and criterion-related validity. Future directions for research and development are discussed.

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This chapter reports two studies concerning the role community plays in defining appropriate and inappropriate or antisocial behaviour. The first examines office referrals in a multilingual, multicultural school to determine the extent to which community affiliation influences the point at which a behaviour is considered inappropriate and should be referred to the office. The second study builds on the results of the first by asking teachers from a variety of multilingual and multicultural schools to give specific examples of normal, at-risk, and rebellious behaviours. The combined results of these studies shed light on some of the challenges presented by the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity of Jewish schools. They also suggest positive approaches to managing such issues.

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