Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development
Teacher Education Specific to Reading
In her policy note for 2014–2019, the Flemish Minister of Education guaranteed sufficient, professional, and motivated teaching personnel. To do so, she wants to strengthen initial teacher education; actualize the basic competencies and the professional profile of teachers; realize a professional, challenging, and varied educational career; and development for and support of teachers’ careers.
Initial teacher education includes a three year program for teachers of preprimary, primary, or the first phases of secondary school, in which there is a distinction between teacher education courses and their courses linked to the subject areas. In teacher education, however, there is no education program specific to teaching reading in preprimary and primary schools; this is part of the general (language) education of the primary school teacher.
Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development in Reading for Teachers
The Ministry takes no specific initiatives to enhance the competencies of teachers to teach reading. The Decree on Quality of Education in 2009 clarifies that schools are responsible for providing good quality education, which includes organizing professional development for teachers. Schools can organize training on their own premises or in their school community, or work together with one or more external organizations.
The educational umbrella organizations have their own Pedagogical Advisory Services (paid by the government) to provide educational and methodological support to schools. These are among the most important partners of most schools in quality assurance. The school counselors offer support to schools within their network, including in-service training, support for self-evaluation, and quality assurance. Many other training organizations offer various activities to enhance the competencies of teachers. Although all these organizations can support professional development in teaching reading, this is no official structure by the Flemish Community.