ABILITY - This concept is closely connected to the notion of competence*. It is not about learning nor about an individual skill, but is, rather, a reality, above all linked to the experience of satisfactory relationships. Thus this ability awakens interest and the ability to listen, which is dependent upon the ability to judge, is founded upon the pleasure principle and is ultimately linked to the satisfaction of the person doing the listening.

ACCOUNTABILITY - This means feeling involved in a relationship*, such as that between a teacher and a pupil, whereby the actions of one party may give rise to actions by the other, but not necessarily through a simple cause and effect mechanism. A subject is accountable when he or she is capable of linking a penalty to an action. The condition of accountability is reached by means of judgements and penalties, whereby one becomes the object of penalties or rewards. This penalising aspect - within the relationship - is often neglected in school assessment systems where it is being increasingly replaced by measurement, and this is a major problem.

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