Initial education for teachers working in early childhood and school education

9.Teachers and education staff

9.1Initial education for teachers working in early childhood and school education

Last update: 8 June 2022

Currently, Decree-Law No 79/2014, 14 May (amended by Declaration of Rectification No 32/2014, 27 June, as well as Decree-Law No 176/2014, 12 December, and No 16/2018, 7 March) determines that a professional teaching qualification is essential to teach in public, private and cooperative education and teaching establishments that provide pre-school, basic and upper secondary education, including specialised music and dance artistic education.

The same qualification level is required for all teachers – a master’s degree – in conformity with the principle adopted when changes were made to the Education Act in 1997.

In line with Ordinance No 212/2009, 23 February, teachers recruited for special education purposes require a teaching qualification from any other recruitment group plus specialised training in the area of special education according to the terms foreseen by the respective legal framework.

Institutions, level and models of training

Universities and polytechnics provide initial teacher training for pre-school, basic and upper secondary education.

In Portugal, initial training course accreditation is the responsibility of the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior - A3ES). Subject to private law, it is a public utility with scientific and technical autonomy, whose core mission is ensuring the quality of higher education in conjunction with the Ministry of Education.

With the implementation of the Bologna Process, two cycles were adopted for initial teacher training courses. Professional teaching qualifications are obtained by attending 2nd cycle (master level) higher education courses, according to the terms stipulated by Decree-Law No 79/2014, 14 May (amended by Declaration of Rectification No 32/2014, 27 June, as well as Decree-Law No 176/2014, 12 December, and No 16/2018, 7 March).

According to this legislation, the second cycle (Master) should also offer general educational training, specific didactics of the teaching area, training in cultural, social and ethical areas, as well as an introduction to professional practice that culminates with supervised practice. The master’s degree also provides a training complement that consolidates and extends academic training, focussing on the knowledge required for teaching in the content areas and subjects covered by the recruitment group that it aims to prepare students.

Within this context, pre-school, basic and upper secondary education establishments are important, as this is where teaching practice occurs –cooperating host schools – and where the respective cooperating teachers work.

Higher educational institutions (HEIs) wishing to organise and administer initial teacher-training programmes should sign cooperation agreements with schools. Such agreements should include initial pre-teacher training activities, including supervised teaching practice, as well as research and development in the field of education.

The agreements should specify:

areas of professional teaching qualifications, including educational and teaching levels and cycles, and the respective curricular areas or subjects related to the supervised teaching practice.
identification of cooperating supervisors available for each teaching qualification area, and eventual compensation given by the cooperating school.
the number of places available to trainees in their areas of specialisation.
the duties, responsibilities and competences of all involved, including trainees.
conditions for supervised teaching practice in cooperating school’s classes, always in the presence of the cooperating supervisor.
conditions for trainees to participate in other activities based on curriculum development and tasks organised outside the classroom, provided they are supported by cooperating supervisors.
compensation offered to the school by the HEI.

HEIs should also be active in enhancing the quality of teaching in the cooperating schools.

Admission requirements

Considering the characteristics of the curricula or subjects covered, the type/level of school and the kind of courses offered, HEIs are obliged to check whether the credits awarded in a particular training area of the master’s degree courses providing teaching qualifications align with the demands stipulated in the specific teaching profiles in each recruitment group.

To enrol in one of the study cycles leading to a master’s degree in general education (pre-school education, 1st cycle of basic education or a joint qualification for both pre-school and the 1st cycle of basic education and for the 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education), the candidate must have a first degree in basic education.

To gain access to a master’s degree course in education in other fields and at other school levels, candidates require a first degree and have completed a certain number of ECTS in a subject area, or ECTS in each of the subject areas covered by the degree. The minimum number of ECTS needed to study these master’s courses varies between 120 and 180:

when the field covers only one area, 120 ECTS in the teaching area.
when the field covers two areas, a total of 120 ECTS in the two subject areas, where at least 50 credits have been obtained in each.
when the field covers three areas, a total of 150 ECTS in the three subject areas, where at least 40 credits have been obtained in each of them.
when it is in the field of languages, a total of 160 ECTS are needed in the two subject areas.

In addition, candidates wishing to enrol in a master’s degree in education must have a high level of oral and written Portuguese.

Curriculum, level of specialisation and learning outcomes

Organised according to the terms and conditions stipulated in Decree-Law No 79/2014, 14 May, amended by Declaration of Rectification No 32/2014, 27 June, as well as Decree-Law No 176/2014, 12 December, and No 16/2018, 7 March, the study cycles include the teacher-training components listed below, which are key areas of teachers’ professional performance:

teaching area.
general education.
specific teaching methods.
cultural, social and ethical areas.
introduction to professional practice.

Teacher training aims to complement, consolidate and provide in-depth academic training, focussing on the knowledge required for teaching in the content areas and the subjects covered by the recruitment group. It also includes greater understanding of matters related to pre-school education and teaching areas, focussing on advanced reasoning, even when the material is basic.

Training in the general education area focusses on the knowledge, abilities and attitudes common to all teachers when working in the activity room or classroom, in institutions involved in early childhood education or in schools, and in relation to family and the community. It involves developmental psychology, cognitive processes, such as those involved in learning to read and elementary mathematics, curriculum and assessment, school as an educational organisation, special educational needs, as well as classroom organisation and management.

The specific teaching methods training covers knowledge, abilities and attitudes related to content areas and the teaching of subjects of the respective recruitment group.

Training in cultural, social and ethical areas covers:

raising awareness of the contemporary world's major problems, including the core values of the Constitution, freedom of expression and religion, as well as respect for ethnic minorities and gender equality.
knowledge, culture, including scientific culture, the arts and humanities beyond those of a teacher's subject area.
contact with data collection methods and critical analysis of data, hypotheses and theories.
raising awareness of the ethical and civic aspect of teaching.

The introduction to professional practice is organised according to the following principles:

observation and collaboration in education/teaching situations and supervised practice in the activity room or classroom in early childhood education institutions or schools.
offering students experience of planning, teaching and assessment according to the duties given to teachers, both inside and outside the classroom.
undertaken in groups or classes of the different education and teaching levels and cycles covered by the recruitment group and which the course prepares students for. If necessary, it is carried out in more than one education and teaching establishment, which may or may not belong to the same school cluster or body, in the case of private or cooperative education.
from a training perspective, it is designed to coordinate knowledge and the way it is transmitted to facilitate learning.
from a professional development perspective for learners, encouraging an attitude that focusses on the continuous improvement of student learning.

Supervised practice is a professional-type internship with a final report (according to paragraph b) No 1 of article 20 of Decree-Law No 74/2006, 24 March, amended by Decree-Law No115/2013, 7 August).

Pre-school and 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education

To be entitled to fully qualified teaching status in pre-school education (early childhood education) and the 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education, candidates need a first degree in basic education, which boasts five common qualification areas at these levels and cycles of education, and a subsequent master’s degree in education (integrated master’s degree) in one of these areas.

There are 180 ECTS in the cycles leading to a first degree in basic education, divided up in the following way:

teaching area – minimum of 125.
general education – minimum of 15.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 15.
introduction to professional practice - minimum of 15.

Regarding the credits earned after training in the teaching area, the minimum number of ECTS are as follows: 30 credits in Portuguese; 30 credits in mathematics; 30 credits in natural sciences and the history and geography of Portugal; 30 credits in expression.

ECTS based on cultural, social education and ethics are included in the remaining ECTS.

The 90 credits awarded for studies leading to the Master’s in Early Childhood Education are divided in the following way:

teaching area – minimum of six.
general education – minimum of six.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 24.
supervised practice - minimum of 39.

The 90 credits awarded for studies leading to the Master's in Education in the 1st cycle of basic education are divided in the following way:

teaching area – minimum of 18.
general education – minimum of six.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 21.
supervised practice - minimum of 32.

The 120 ECTS awarded for studies leading to the Master’s in Early Childhood Education and 1st cycle of basic education are divided in the following way:

teaching area – minimum of 18.
general education – minimum of six.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 36.
supervised practice - minimum of 48.

The 120 ECTS awarded for studies leading to the Master’s in 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education are divided in the following:

teaching area – minimum of 27.
general education – minimum of six.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 30.
supervised practice - minimum of 48.

3rd cycle of basic education and upper secondary education

The 120 ECTS awarded for studies leading to a master’s degree not mentioned in the previous paragraphs are divided in the following way:

teaching area – minimum of 18.
general education – minimum of 18.
specific teaching methods - minimum of 30.
introduction to professional practice, including supervised teaching - minimum of 42.

Teacher educators

The teaching staff involved in initial teacher education courses at higher education institutions (HEIs) should be duly qualified and in sufficient number. Most teacher educators should hold a PhD or be deemed a specialist of recognised experience and professional competence.

Teachers at cooperating schools who are working as supervisors (cooperating supervisors) should be chosen by the HEI’s competent body, having obtained the teachers’ prior agreement and approval from the cooperating school’s leadership body. The cooperating school-supervisors should comply with the following requirements:

training and experience suitable for future duties.
teaching practice at the respective education, teaching and subject levels and cycle of a minimum of five years.

When choosing the cooperating supervisor, preference should be given to candidates with post-graduate training in the respective teaching area, specialised training in pedagogical supervision and professional experience in supervision.

Qualifications, evaluation and certificates

A Master’s in Education is awarded to students who have obtained the required number of credits for a particular stage of studies in the master’s course. Candidates need to have passed all the course units in the study programme, as well as successfully completing the public defence of their report on supervised teaching practice.

Students’ supervised teaching practice is assessed by the teacher educator at the HEI who is responsible for the course unit in question. This assessment includes information supplied by the cooperating school via the teaching-practice supervisor and head of the corresponding department or by the coordinator of the teachers’ council, or in the case of private or cooperative education, the teacher who performs equivalent duties.

The decision to pass the supervised teaching practice course unit/subject depends upon how well the student can meet the set of demands required for teaching.

Alternative training pathways

Those teachers who already work within the public, private and cooperative education system, but without a professional teaching qualification, including those at private vocational schools (in accordance with the provisions of Decree-Law No 79/2014, 14 May, Declaration of Rectification No 32/2014, 27 June, as well as Decree-Law No 176/2014, 12 December, and No 16/2018, 7 March), can obtain such a qualification via an in-service professionalisation programme. This is structured and organised according to the dispositions of Decree-Law No 287/88, 19 August, with amendments introduced by Decree-Law No 345/89, 11 October, Decree-Law No 15-A/99, 19 January, and Decree-Law No 127/2000, 6 July.

These programmes are designed for teachers who already have the years of service necessary to be exempt from the second year of in-service teacher training, as stipulated in paragraph 1 of Article 43 of Decree-Law No 287/88, 19 August, with subsequent amendments. This provision is mainly aimed at teachers of specialised music and dance artistic education, those teaching technical-artistic components of specialised artistic education for visual and audio-visual arts and for those who are part of the Portuguese sign language recruitment group (LGP) who do not have professional qualifications obtained according to Decree-Law No 16/2018, 7 March. This path is also designed for teachers of the specialised visual and audio-visual arts at the António Arroio and Soares dos Reis art schools, as well as teachers working at Portuguese schools abroad with the same professional qualification needs.

The in-service teacher training programme designed for the abovementioned groups of teachers and organised according to Decree-Law No 287/88, 19 August (with subsequent amendments) is provided by Universidade Aberta (Open University), part of a protocol signed with the Directorate General of School Administration (Direção Geral da Administração escolar - DGAE). This non-degree in-service teacher training course lasts two semesters. It requires successful completion of six units in educational sciences (ethics and education, education and society, student learning evaluation models, digital technologies in education, mediation and conflict management in school, principles of didactics) and a seminar on pedagogical practice, totalling 60 ECTS/1,560 hours taught using an online distance learning model - virtual classroom.

Eurydice

Portugal

9.1Initial education for teachers working in early childhood and school education

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