Teacher training - basic and specialist teacher training - Czech Republic

The Act on Educational Staff was approved by the Parliament of the Czech Republic in September 2004. The Act came into force January 1, 2005. The Act defines the categories of educational staff and the general prerequisites for carrying out their professional work. It stipulates the requested educational background and regulates the further education of teachers and other professionals from the field of education.
The university level of teachers´ education is predominantly requested. For pre-school teachers, the upper secondary level of education is accepted.

Most university programmes are at master’s level (ISCED 5A) and are taught at universities. The responsibilities for the content and organisation of studies belong entirely to the individual universities. Each faculty of education in the Czech Republic providing education for teachers has the right to determine the content and organisation of studies, including study programmes, study and assessment regulations, entrance examination requirements, the requirements for state final examinations, etc.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports formulates only the key competences for teachers. It is up to the universities providing teacher-training to meet the expected level off skills of their graduates. 
Co-responsibility for the quality of university education is up to the Accreditation Commission, which is one of the bodies that carries out comparative evaluation of the particular area of study at all faculties of education.

The study model for teachers at faculties of education consists predominantly of both the academic and the practical/professional parts and run simultaneously. The teacher-training integrates both the theoretical and practical aspects. In addition to traditional methods (lectures, seminars), the ‘'learning by doing’ approach is also used, as well as various theoretical methods, learning through practical exercises, workshops etc.

There is no unified compulsory curriculum for teacher-training at higher educational institutions, but certain components are always present: general subject education, psychology, pedagogy, didactics and pedagogical practical training.

The amount of teaching hours dedicated to these subjects can vary. The proportion of instruction depends on a teacher’s area of specialisation.
Issues concerning management and administration are included in greater scope in the functional training curriculum for school heads.

The student-teacher’s professional development, which means personal profile and development of professional competency, is stressed. Student teachers should acquire needed academic, social and didactic skills. They are expected to develop their own efficient teaching style, self-reflection skills and assessment for learning skills.

Practical training runs through the whole programme either in blocks of one to two weeks teaching or in the form of long-term training consisting of 1 day a week spent at a school for a period of several terms. By the end of their studies a student- teacher has usually had six weeks teaching practice. Emphasis is placed on the student-teacher’s own attempts at teaching and their reflection on this practical experience. There is no transitional period between training and employment.

The Act on Educational Staff (563/2004) defines the qualifications of teachers working with children with special needs. University teacher-training in special education or additional university training in special education is requested.

All university teacher-training programmes include modules on the education of pupils with special needs.
Teachers who want to work as SEN- Counsellors and/or special teachers of pupils with special needs have to follow the master 5-year university study programme in special education.

In-service training

Teachers are entitled to further education and in-service training. The ministry provides financial support to cover the part of expenditures connected with the in-service training and further education of teachers at courses that are approved by the ministerial decision.

To support inclusion, teachers are supposed to participate at the in-service training in special needs education.