TEACHER TRAINING

In the Netherlands it takes about four years to gain a mainstream teaching qualification. Primary school teachers study at institutions of higher education. They are trained to teach all curriculum subjects, but also a specialist subject. The initial teacher training (ITT) includes an introduction to educating pupils with special needs. Current government policy requires more knowledge of educating special needs students within teacher training, but the programme is oversubscribed and adding special needs programmes is not easy.

Two forms of teaching qualification exits in secondary education: a lower secondary and a full qualification. Teachers with a lower secondary qualification cannot teach in higher age phases of secondary schools like HAVO and VWO. To become fully qualified, study at an institute of higher education or university is necessary.

In-service education for teachers is not obligatory though many teachers follow short courses on various subjects. Due to integration policies, the number of in-service special needs education courses is increasing.

Though supplementary training for teachers in special education is optional, the majority of special teachers follow a two year, part time training. The course assumes the students are already working in education and focuses upon both theory and practice. There are several specialist fields including the visually handicapped, behaviour problems, the mentally handicapped, remedial teaching and peripatetic teaching. Although not obligatory, a growing number of mainstream teachers have a special education certificate.