Background/Organisation
Initial teacher training is carried out in higher education institutions – polytechnics and universities – with the Master’s degree being the minimum academic qualification for the teaching profession, according to the changes introduced within the Bologna Process.
Music education Teacher training occurs in teacher training colleges which are integrated into polytechnics or universities
The Decree-Law nº 240/2001 defines the performance profile of mainstream teachers, according the following dimensions and competencies:
Table 1: Dimensions and competencies
Dimensions | Competencies |
Professional and ethics | Encourages the development of students´ autonomy and their full inclusion in society, taking into account the complex and differentiated learning process. |
Development of teaching and learning | Promotes meaningful learning in the context of the objectives of the class curriculum, developing core competencies. |
Participation in school | Promotes interactions with families, particularly in the context of live projects and training and of their students. |
Professional development and training | Reflects on their practices, relying on experience, research and other relevant resources to the assessment of their professional development, particularly in their own training project. |
Aim to ensure appropriate academic training requirements of teaching in subject areas or disciplines falling within their area of qualification for teaching.
These are general components that all teachers’ courses have to fulfill. After this, each teacher training college or university defines the curricular areas that will constitute the study plan. Superior courses are validated by the Science and Technology Ministry.
A non-exhaustive study was conducted (site information) on the collection of Credit Units by teachers beginning training in the year of 2009/2010 in the first and second cycle of studies that lead to the qualification for teaching. The curricular plan was studied in order to identify the curricular units related to special education and with content on the inclusion of students with special needs and educational diversity. In table 1 we present the name of the Credit Units that we consider in this ‘study’.