PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia

Special EducationThe special education system is intended for children and teenagers who need adaptededucation because of their specific educational needs and lower learning abilities. Ifa child has less severe educational needs, then he or she can be partly or completelyintegrated into the regular education system. The special education system is organizedinto several types, according to the educational needs of students who are slightly orseverely mentally challenged, have behavior or personality disorders, physical disabilities,are ill or convalescing, have vision problems, have hearing problems, or have instrumentalproblems (e.g., language or speech development problems).Like the regular education system, the special education system works to achievethe objectives outlined by the Standards of Competencies. According to the acquiredcompetencies, the student can obtain the Basic Studies Certificate (Certificat d’étudesde base) and the other study certificates.In contrast to the regular education system, special education requires advancedtraining standards that enable individualized teaching and the presence of paramedical,psychological, and social staff to support the educational team.Teachers and Teacher EducationIn the 2004–05 school year, there were 30,645 full-time teachers in regular primaryeducation, of whom 15% were men and 85% were women. In that period, nearly onethird of primary education teachers (men or women) were 30–39 years old, and anotherthird of them were 40–49 years old. 13Teacher Education and TrainingIn 2000, a major teacher education reform was introduced with two objectives: promotingthe role of teachers and making teaching more professional. 14 The reform states that primaryeducation teacher training will take place in non-university tertiary education programs ofstudy requiring 3 years. The primary education teacher training leads to a specific diploma.The training is made up of seven components:• The acquisition of sociocultural knowledge;• The acquisition of socio-affective and relational knowledge;• The mastery of disciplinary and interdisciplinary competencies;• The mastery of educational competencies;• The acquisition of a scientific approach and research attitude;PIRLS 2006 Encyclopedia• The development of classroom management skills; and• Interdisciplinary activities aimed at building a professional identity.In order to become a primary education teacher, one must have mastery ofdisciplinary and interdisciplinary competencies, as well as spoken and written mastery ofthe French language and knowledge of all the subjects and the practice of the educationaltools specific to each domain.Belgium, French SystemTIMSS & PIRLSInternational Study CenterLynch School of Education, Boston College 49