INITIAL TEACHER-TRAINING - THE FRENCH VIEW

This paper, against the background of trends in the development of ini tial teacher training in Europe as a whole, identifies and explains so me of the recent, radical reforms which were introduced in France by a socialist government. These include the need to raise the status and the competence of the teaching profession; the creation of new teacher -training institutions of university status (Instituts universitaires de formation des maitres); the introduction of common entry qualificat ions at degree level for both primary and secondary levels; the harmon isation and the extension to 2 years of the post-degree teacher-traini ng course and the increase in emphasis placed on professional training , both theoretical and practical. These reforms provoked a storm of pr otest and an examination of the reasons for this reveals a multiplicit y of crucial questions which have far-reaching implications.