TEACHER TRAINING

Mainstream teachers fall into 2 broad categories. Elementary school teachers follow a 4-year university based general teacher-training course and can then be employed as elementary school teachers.

Teachers of special education who can be employed to provide services to children within mainstream elementary schools, special units attached to mainstream schools or in special schools have specific job descriptions.

At present special education teachers are classified as specializing in:
• Teaching children with learning difficulties or emotional problems
• Teaching children with visual impairments
• Teaching children with hearing impairment
• Speech therapy
• Psychology
• Physiotherapy
• Special physical education
• Music therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Audiology

Special needs teachers may have a first degree as an elementary teacher and a post-graduate degree in special education or a first degree in special education. At present, there is a shortfall of teachers of children with learning difficulties or emotional problems and psychologists are temporarily employed in their place.

Preparatory service
Secondary school teachers must complete a university degree in a specific curriculum topic and, upon employment, must further complete a short seminar course on pedagogy.
In secondary education, regular subject teachers provide support for children with special needs. A programme of seminars regarding special education is being developed to assist them in this task.

In-Service Training
All teachers are encouraged to attend courses of professional development run by the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus, many of which have particular reference to special education. Attendance at in service seminars is compulsory whilst attendance at local seminars is encouraged. The Ministry of Education and Culture will sponsor the attendance of teachers on courses abroad or give leave of absence to teachers wishing to sponsor themselves. Attendance at courses of continuing professional development is considered in the determining of a teachers performance during teacher evaluation.