France

Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development

Teachers at primary schools in France do not specialize in a particular subject but are responsible for teaching all subjects to their class. However, if a team of teachers agrees, the teachers may collaborate and teach students by subject depending on the skills of each teacher. Teachers are prepared to teach at the preprimary or primary level, depending on their preference and the availability of jobs in the area where they wish to teach. In 2014, there were 330,500 primary school teachers in the public sector, 83 percent of whom were women. The average age was 42, and 12 percent were working part time.¹⁶

Teacher Education Specific to Reading

The first step to becoming a primary school teacher in France is to pass the CRPE (concours de recrutement de professeurs des écoles, or [Recruitment Competition for School Teachers)]), a competitive examination at the regional education authority level (académie). After passing the CRPE, candidates become teachers in training in the academy department in which they were recruited. They take a “sandwich course”^b for one year in which they divide their time between practice in schools and colleges of teaching and education, known as ESPEs (Écoles supérieures du Professorat et de l’Éducation , or Higher Schools of Professorship and Education). The Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, and Research specifies the number of jobs available each year, and any qualified citizen of the European Union may apply. In 2016, 12,935 jobs were available for primary school teachers in the public sector.

From 1992 to 2011, primary school teachers were required to hold a diploma certifying at least three years of academic study in higher education to apply for teaching positions. In 2011, the prerequisites for taking the CRPE were modified, and a master’s degree (i.e., five years of higher education) was introduced as a new requirement.

On July 8, 2013, the French government established a new policy on teacher education and continuing professional development. ESPEs opened their doors in September 2013, and a two year master’s degree in education (Masters des métiers de l’enseignement, de l’éducation et de la formation) was initiated. There are 32 ESPEs in France, with 179 training sites. The beginning of the 2015–2016 school year marked the entry of the first graduates of the new program into full time teaching positions.

Students in the new ESPE teacher education programs choose from among several fields of specialization, including teaching in primary education, teaching in secondary education, working as nonteaching school staff, and teaching in adult training programs. Approximately 60,000 students are studying in these four ESPE program fields.

The new teacher education program focuses on practical training and is based on the premise that the most effective initial training programs are those that guarantee a balance between theory and practice and collaboration between teachers. Future teachers have early contact with students, spend considerable time in schools, and receive quality support including mentoring by qualified teachers. The program includes a core curriculum offered to all student teachers that might include but is not limited to: managing a class and preventing violence at school; taking diversity in the classroom into account, particularly students with disabilities; adapting to different learning styles and providing support for struggling students; receiving career guidance; and combating discrimination and promoting gender equality. The new program also better prepares teachers for the diverse responsibilities of their role today. For example, particular emphasis is given to mastering digital tools. The aim of technology training is to help teachers not only master digital tools on a technical level but implement digital tools in classroom learning, in creating pedagogical resources adapted to individual students, and in better communicating with families. Students in the master’s program must take a competitive examination at the end of their first year; during their second year, they work in schools to gain practical experience as state civil service trainees.

The changes to teacher qualification standards discussed above are too recent to have had any impact on the Grade 4 students assessed in PIRLS 2016. A discussion follows of teacher education pertaining to the majority of teachers working during the 2015–2016 school year.

Initial training of the majority of primary school teachers sampled in PIRLS 2016 will have taken place at a university institute of teacher education. Candidates were recruited into the first year based on their secondary school credentials or subsequent interviews. At the end of the first year of university study, all preprimary and primary school teachers were required to take a competitive examination, after which successful students became trainee teachers and were paid for a compulsory year of training. Coursework for learning to teach the French language (conducted concurrently with this training) includes the problems of learning to read, the analysis of textbooks, the study of the connection between reading and writing, and the evaluation of reading competencies.

The university institute of teacher education programs comprised approximately 1,000 hours of vocational training, divided into three parts: learning (45 percent), practice in schools (40 percent), and personal work (15 percent). Educating aspiring teachers in school disciplines totaled 450 hours. At the end of the program, trainees were assessed on their work with students in class, the disciplines they studied at the university, and a report they wrote on a practical aspect of education. Upon validation of their work, trainee teachers became full-fledged primary school teachers with civil service status.

Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development in Reading for Teachers

In addition to their initial vocational training, primary school teachers may complete up to 36 weeks of professional development over the course of their career (the equivalent of a school year), although professional development is not mandatory. Local and national education priorities determine the content of annual in-service training courses offered at each level, and these courses generally feature the teaching of mathematics and science.