Background to the Research
- The reform
of teacher education in Northern Ireland which began in 1990 resulted
in a competence model being designed to accommodate initial training,
induction and early professional development. The new competence model
included the issuing of a CEP to all student teachers at the end of
their initial teacher education. If newly qualified teachers are to
develop both professionally and personally, then an effective induction
programme must be provided by ELBs and by the schools themselves.
- This
is a summary of the findings of research commissioned by the DENI into
existing support provided for NQTs in post-primary schools in Northern
Ireland.
Research
Approach
- The project
started in June 1997 and data were collected through questionnaires
and semi-structured interviews. The study began with an analysis of
a questionnaire sent to NQTs awarded qualified teacher status in 1996,
the last to experience the probationary year, and a sample was interviewed.
A second questionnaire was sent to NQTs qualifying in 1997 and follow-up
interviews were carried out with a small sample. Questionnaires were
also sent to the HoDs and teacher tutors, and interviews were carried
out with a sample of each group. Lastly, detailed interviews were carried
out with the induction officers from the five ELBs.
Main
Findings
- ITE was
considered to prepare student teachers well for teaching and the vast
majority taught in schools which had a teacher tutor with specific responsibility
for induction. The HoD was identified as the best source of support
during the first year of teaching.
- Improvements
to support suggested by NQTs included more monitoring and regular feedback
in school, and earlier and more relevant courses form the ELBs, including
subject-specific advice.
- The kind
of support provided by teacher tutors was described as largely pastoral,
whilst HoDs contributed all the support which arose from the NQTs' work
within the department. Both groups complained of a lack of time to carry
out these responsibilities. Support from ELBs was predominantly short
in-service courses, and a need was identified to negotiate and provide
a standardised programme of support across all ELBs.
- The ELB
induction officers identified best practice in school-based support
for NQTs as a well thought out induction policy, regular meetings between
the NQT and senior staff, target setting and action planning, and the
opportunity for self-reflection; worst practice was exemplified by teacher
tutors who did not have enough time for NQT or who failed to recognise
the requirements of the role, not all NQTs in school being permitted
to attend in-service courses, and NQTs having too heavy a workload.
- There
was a high level of consensus amongst HoDs and teacher tutors as to
what constituted the principal needs of the NQTs, for example, classroom
and behaviour management, familiarisation with the school's ethos, pastoral
system and whole school policies, reaching examination classes and communicating
with parents.
- Most
HoDs surveyed were not familiar with the competence framework for teacher
education, although most teacher tutors were.
- The majority
of HoDs and teacher tutors surveyed disagreed with the abolition of
the probationary year; they believed NQTs should be assessed within
their schools at the end of induction. There was a strong preference
for HoDs to carry out such assessment with teacher tutors contributing
a more independent perspective. The NQTs themselves wanted more observation
of their teaching and better feedback on progress.
- About
two-fifths of NQTs surveyed did not make their CEP available to anyone
in the school, those who did were most likely to show it to the teacher
tutor. Most teacher tutors and HoDs had not seen a completed CEP and
admitted to having little knowledge of its use and application.
- Most
teacher tutors had not received training for their role with NQTs, with
half expressing a wish for training compared to almost all HoDs.
- Most
teacher tutors were in favour of accreditation for their work with NQTs,
whereas most HoDs were not.
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