ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of Early Childhood Education & Elementary Teacher Education)

Course: Elementary Teacher Education (626) Semester: Autumn, 2022

Level: M.Ed. (Elementary Education)
Q. 1 Discuss the role of teacher training instructions after 18 th amendment in
Pakistan.
Answer no 1:
Role of teacher training instructions:
Training of staff must center on subject-specific training and generic training that lead to
the holistic development of all those concerned. Teacher training is important for both
experienced and those teachers who are novice to the teaching profession. Teachers must
get a hang of innovative pedagogy, interactive assessment techniques and use of
differentiation in the classroom to enliven the teaching-learning process. It’s important that
teachers be aware of the different kind of learners under their care and ways of dealing
with them-that’s where good teacher training comes to play.
Good teacher training leads to positive learning environments and in turn this leads to
happy children who are more than willing to come to school.
Mentoring and coaching:
Mentoring and coaching too, form a part of teacher training which helps teachers learn
from best practices and analyze and reflect on their teaching.
Thus, ongoing Professional Development is critical part of the teaching-learning process.
Good teacher training puts emphasis on updating teachers with latest research in the
education field.
Enhancing the classroom experience:

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It’s important that teachers know how children learn, it’s important that teachers know up-
and-coming technology tools for enhancing the classroom experience. Teachers must learn
to collaborate, innovate and reflect and that’s where professional development comes to
play.
Successful & outstanding teacher:
Learn, unlearn & relearn is the only pathway to be a successful & outstanding teacher.
Therefore, why questions our though processes and say Yes to professional development-
that’s how important it is... eing competent and well-performing teacher is one of the most
important resources in any educational institution. The teacher is considered the
professional agent and the most directly responsible person in the process of learning; he is
the one in charge of making/helping students learn and benefit or suffer from the quality of
his teaching. Given this, the teacher and the quality of his teaching are always under
discussion and receive prevalent importance in education. Nowadays, the Algerian
educational institutions, like any other educational institutions around the world, is at risk
when it comes to the fact that we may encounter a situation whereby our educational
systems fail to educate and form excellent learners.
Political restructuring:

Apart from the political restructuring it mandates, the amendment also holds some major
implications for the country's system of education. Through it a new article, 25A, has been
inserted into the constitution that reads: “Right to education: The state shall provide free
and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to 16 years in such manner as
may be determined by law.” This is an important undertaking by the state since education,
in contemporary times, is considered an important tool for enhancing one's chances for
socioeconomic development.

High dropout rate is poverty:

In Pakistan, a large number of students do not have access to schools or drop out before
they reach the fifth grade. A major reason behind the high dropout rate is poverty, and as a

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result a large number of children remain illiterate and cannot become part of the literate
human resource group which is vital for the development of a country. An effective
implementation of this article of the constitution would without doubt pave the way for
enriching the national human capital.

Major implication of the 18th Amendment for education:

Another major implication of the 18th Amendment for education is that the curriculum,
syllabus, planning, policy, centers of excellence and standards of education will fall under
the purview of the provinces. This is a big step forward for education. The 18th
Amendment, passed unanimously by parliament, was the result of a rare consensus
between all the major political parties. After becoming a part of the constitution, however,
some strong voices of dissent were raised by different quarters, including the Ministry of
Education. A campaign has been initiated to spread the idea that the provinces are not
ready to take up the massive challenge of dealing with the provision of education. This
claim is made on the assumption that the provinces do not have the capacity or the
financial resources to cope with the huge challenge in front of them.

Contents of the curricula:

It has been argued that the contents of the curricula should remain with the federation
since the provinces could take liberties which may result in putting the unity and ideology
of the country at risk. Critics have asked how standards would be maintained across the
provinces and how quality would be assured.

Provincial responsibility:

Looking at the above points, one can understand the federation's concern regarding the
future of education once it becomes a provincial responsibility. However, this concern
seems to emanate primarily from a lack of trust in the capacity and ability of the provinces.

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It is interesting to note, though, that the provinces are already providing for school and
college education and they do have the capacity (in terms of intellectual resources) to
handle the job. As far as funds are concerned, the provinces have been funding education
from their budgets. The federation would give partial grants to the universities only.

Autonomy to design the curricula:

The provinces should have the autonomy to design the curricula according to contextual
needs and learners' requirement. If the federation is very concerned about the curriculum
issue, it can keep Islamiat and Pakistan Studies under its control. The curricula for other
subjects should be designed by the provinces concerned. Education standards can be
monitored through provincial quality assurance departments and the inter-provincial
coordination committee. Similarly, the provinces may introduce regional languages as a
subject in their respective provinces as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is attempting to do.

This right was already there, even before the 18th Amendment. The diversity of languages
is more likely to strengthen the federation, rather than weaken it. Recall that the denial of
the demand to name Bangla as a national language in addition to Urdu played a major part
in the separation of East Pakistan.

A cursory glance at the points above tells us that all the problems can be resolved without
much ado. It seems, however, that concerns about the incapability of provinces to deal with
educational responsibilities emerge from a trust deficit where the centre, in its self-
righteous manner, doubts the competence and integrity of the provinces. To understand
this, we need to realise that education has a strong link with power. Education, as political
theorist Gramsci suggested, can pay an important part in controlling minds. Historically
education has been used to take and maintain control of marginalized countries and
groups, so if education becomes a provincial matter, certain powerful groups and
organisations see it as a shift in power which is not in their favour. The outcome is a lot of
hue and cry, and the offering of lame excuses.

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Q. 2 What are the basic requirements of teacher certification in the United Kingdom.
Qualified teacher status (QTS):

Qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in maintained primary,

secondary and special schools in England (schools funded by local
authorities).
A qualified teacher status (QTS) certification is a
credential that allows teachers to work for many
schools throughout the U.K., including those in England
and Wales. Individuals interested in pursuing a long-term
career as a primary, secondary or special education
school teacher in the U.K. need to apply for their QTS
certificate before they can apply for teaching jobs.
Earning your QTS certificate can also ensure you qualify
for the teacher pay scale and certain advancement
opportunities, which can help you earn more money
throughout your career.
Train to teach in primary and secondary schools:

To train to teach in primary and secondary schools in England, you’ll

need:

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  GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science
if you want to teach primary)
 a bachelor’s degree (this does not have to be in teaching)
Different training providers may also have specific criteria. For example,
some may ask that you have a bachelor’s degree class 2:2 or above.
Some training providers may consider candidates with pending GCSEs.
If you do not have the GCSEs required, they may also ask you to sit an
equivalency test or to offer other evidence to show your ability.
QTS certification with a teaching license
If you're certified to teach in the United States, you may qualify for
your QTS certification without needing to complete additional
schooling. Here are some steps you can follow to obtain your QTS
certification:
Prepare your documents:
Before you apply for your QTS certification, ensure you have the
necessary documents to prove you're a qualified teacher in the U.S.
Some items you can prepare include:

 Details and copies of your qualifications

 Evidence of your nationality and identity, such as photos

of your passport or driver's license

 A letter from the department of education or your state's

teacher registration board, if online verification is
unavailable
If you've recently changed your name, you may also need to provide
additional evidence to ensure your teaching qualifications match your
passport, driver's license or other forms of identification.
Apply through the National College for Teaching and
Leadership (NCTL) Teacher Service website:
Once you have your documents prepared, complete the online
application found on the NCTL Teacher Service website. There are four
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different application forms for teachers to choose from depending on
the country they live in. As a teacher certified in the U.S., select the
Overseas Trained Teachers application form. This application form
typically takes 45 minutes to complete. Once you submit your
application, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) reviews your
answers to determine whether you meet the appropriate teaching
requirements and ensures you don't have any teaching restrictions in
the U.S.
Complete your induction period
If the TRA accepts your application, you can expect to receive a letter
in the mail confirming your QTS certification. This means you are
eligible to teach in the U.K. as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT). As an
NQT, you can complete a one-year induction period to obtain a
permanent work permit for state-maintained schools. During this
period, teachers receive training and support from an induction tutor
to develop their skill set and gain work experience in the U.K.

At the end of the induction period, teachers complete an assessment

to ensure they meet the teaching standards enforced by the
Department of Education.

Qualified Teachers
If you're already certified to teach in the U.S., you must apply for Qualified Teacher Status
(QTS) to be eligible to teach in England or Wales. Application forms are available on the
website of the Teaching Regulation Agency and can be completed online. In addition to
forms for teachers trained overseas (U.S., Canada, Australia, Gibralter and New Zealand),

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there are separate forms for teachers trained in Scotland, in Northern Ireland and in
European Union (EU) countries.
Initial Teaching Training
All teachers in England and Wales must successfully complete an initial teacher training
course before they receive the required qualified teacher status. There are several paths
you can choose from to get certified through teacher training organisations. Once you
receive your QTS, you will need to complete the newly qualified teachers year induction
program. If you wish to be a teacher in further education colleges, you will also need to
attain Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills status.
Qualified Teachers
If you're already certified to teach in the U.S., you must apply for Qualified Teacher Status
(QTS) to be eligible to teach in England or Wales. Application forms are available on the
website of the Teaching Regulation Agency and can be completed online. In addition to
forms for teachers trained overseas (U.S., Canada, Australia, Gibralter and New Zealand),
there are separate forms for teachers trained in Scotland, in Northern Ireland and in
European Union (EU) countries.
Initial Teaching Training
All teachers in England and Wales must successfully complete an initial teacher training
course before they receive the required qualified teacher status. There are several paths
you can choose from to get certified through teacher training organisations. Once you
receive your QTS, you will need to complete the newly qualified teachers year induction
program. If you wish to be a teacher in further education colleges, you will also need to
attain Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills status.

Q. 3 Narrate the current situation and management system of teacher force in China.
Answer 3
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Teacher Training in China:

The education of teachers is directly supervised by the Ministry of Education. The Teacher

Education Bureau is one of the 23 bureaus in the Ministry of Education and is immediately

responsible for formulating policies on teacher education and supervising the development

of the teacher training system, including the goals of teacher education, curriculum

structure, recruitment of teacher trainees, and accreditation criteria. It also directly

administers six key normal universities, namely those in Beijing, East China, Central China,

Northeast China, Southwest China, and Shanxi. Provincial education commissions and

education bureaus in the prefectures and counties are responsible for teacher education

under their purview, and they are expected to implement the policies formulated by the

central government. [Source: Ting Ni, World Education Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc.,

2001]

“The system of teacher education comprises two distinct subsystems: pre-service and in-

service. Pre-service education is housed in monotechnic colleges or shifan xueyuan

(specialized teacher education institutions), which enjoy a unique status within the overall

education system. The lowest level of the pre-service subsystem recruits trainees from

among junior secondary school graduates who are trained to be kindergarten and primary

school teachers. This structure originated from the teacher education system that was first

established in 1897 and heavily influenced by Japanese and German models. Because of the

need for large numbers of teachers at various levels of schooling, the Chinese government,

in different periods, still favored the hierarchical, monotechnic, and specialized teacher

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education system. In 1953, the Ministry of Education stipulated a three-tier system of pre-

service teacher education: normal universities for the large administrative zones, teachers

colleges in provinces and metropolitan cities, and junior colleges and secondary normal

schools of various types at township and county levels.

The in-service teacher education is designed to provide unqualified teachers with

appropriate training and education credentials. It is organized into four levels: provincial

college of education; county or city college or teachers' advancement college; county

teachers' school; and town and village teachers' supervisory center. Every level has specific

target trainees. Provincial colleges are responsible for training senior high school teachers;

county or city colleges for junior high school teachers; county teachers' school for primary

and kindergarten teachers; and town and village teachers' center for teachers for their own

geographic areas.

plan to strengthen basic education

teacher force

The plan clearly sets out 15 measures to promote the development of teachers
in basic education, including improving teachers’ competence and quality,
promoting balanced distribution of high-quality education resources,

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enhancing the teacher education system, and deepening the integrated
management reform.

The plan aims, by 2025, to create a series of national teacher education bases,
accumulate replicable and scalable reform experience, and provide a reservoir
of middle and primary schools teachers qualified to Master’s level. At the same
time, the supportive service system for training rural teachers will be
improved, teacher shortages in underdeveloped areas will be alleviated, and
progress will be seen in specialized and standardized teacher training,
assurance systems for teacher development, and management over the teacher
force. By 2035, an open, coordinated, interconnected and high-standard
system of teacher education will be put in place, with a comprehensive
mechanism facilitating teachers’ professional development, adequate quality
and quantity in teachers that can meet the needs of basic education, and
increased pedagogical quality and educational outcomes. Meanwhile, the fine
tradition of respecting teachers and valuing education will continue to prevail.

Focused on raising political awareness, improving teaching ethics and

enhancing teaching capabilities in teachers, the plan identifies several tasks, in
order to achieve balance among the number, quality and structure of the
teacher force and promote innovative practices in teachers’ development. (1)
Top teacher training institutions will take the lead in strengthening the
teacher education system. (2) Teacher education at higher degree levels will
rise, with adoption of innovative talent cultivation measures. (3) Teacher
resources will be distributed in a more balanced manner, as special emphasis
will be put on teacher training for underdeveloped areas in Central and

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Western China. (4) Management over the teacher force will be improved,
based on further evaluation reform. (5) Both quality and efficiency of the
teacher force will be improved through application of information technology.

According to an MOE official, China has continued to increase investment in

teacher education in recent years. At present, teacher education programs are
available at 215 teacher training institutions and over 500 other universities
and colleges across the country. However, the current management, assurance
systems and school conditions in those teacher training institutions need
improvement.

Therefore, the plan demands to establish national teacher education bases and
build an open, coordinated, interconnected modern education system for
teachers. It also requires to implement special teacher training schemes for
underdeveloped areas in central and middle parts of China.

In terms of teacher qualification and assessment systems, the plan urges to

fully promote reforms regarding teacher qualification examination and regular
registration of teacher certification, and put into practice the requirements of
educational evaluation reform, such as improving teacher ethics, reforming
professional titles, and conducting assessments by professional grades.

In terms of teachers’ salaries and benefits, performance or merit pay policies

will favor teachers who work in upfront positions, perform well in achieving
school’s objectives, or teach students with special education needs in
mainstream education, while greater assurance will be given to financing in

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the education sector, to solve issues such as wage arrears and delays in
payments of social insurance premiums, housing funds and other employment
benefits, and boost ranks of teachers in rural areas as well as their pay, per the
plan.

High School Teachers in China

Eric Mu wrote in Danwei.com, “Teachers are a mixture of army training sergeants and
Amway salesmen. The former abuses, the latter promises. A teacher is not only expected to
teach, he also needs to motivate. Some male teachers were very good at that, capable of
evoking in their subjects the deepest sense of shame that even a Freudian would admire.
They did it with verbal ingenuity that a rapper would envy. I remember a teacher once
warned us that if we didn’t work hard we would “go and poke a dog’s teeth,” What he
meant was that we would end up being tramps or beggars.
Problems for Teachers in China:
There is a lot of pressure on teachers. Some have their pay linked to their students’
performances. Others have been forced out of their after parents complained they weren’t
covering the material fast enough. Many are studying English and taking other classes to
improve themselves. High school teachers sometimes lose their job if their students don’t do well
enough on the university entrance exam.
Teachers are usually exhausted by the overcrowded classes and insufficient facilities. In the poor
rural provinces many teachers rely on the charity of farmers for food and sometimes go hungry
because they go months without getting paid. Some teachers live in rat-infested dormitories at
the school, which have no running water or electricity and try to keep warm in winter by sleeping
under piles of thick quilts.

Q. 4 Discuss the problems of elementary education in Pakistan.

Elementary education:

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Elementary education is an effort to help young people in developing the concepts. The engagement
of young people to the human development must be realized in the whole process or educational
effort.

At elementary education level students experience the process of perception and learning. And, in
general, the understanding of elementary school can be said as an educational institution that
organizes the basic education process and underlies the subsequent education process. This
education is provided for children who are in class 1-8th with the assumption that children of small
age have a very little stamina of understanding. We should try to meet their educational needs at this
level that are appropriate to themselves. Basic education is indeed held to provide fundamental
knowledge, attitudes and skills for students.
hese issues include but are not limited to parental abuse, bullying, poor social skills, rejection,
learning disabilities and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Common Issues
We are now going to meet a group of elementary students who are each
struggling with one of these issues. Meet Judy, Matt, Janet, Elaine, Brian and
Rachel. We are going to take a look into each one of their lives.

Parental Abuse

Judy is six years old and living in a home where her father yells at her mother
frequently. He gets angry easily and will occasionally hit her mother in front of
Judy. Sometimes, if she tries to play with him, Judy's father will tell her that she
is annoying and push her away.

Judy is suffering from parental abuse. Parental abuse occurs when parents
deliberately inflict harm on their children. There are two types of abuse that
Judy's father uses: physical abuse, or the use of physical violence, and
emotional or mental abuse, where he inflicts emotional pain through attacking
her with words and when he hurts her mother in front of her.

Her mother is also depressed, spending a lot of time sleeping in her bedroom and
is unavailable for her daughter. As a result, Judy is also experiencing another
type of abuse called neglect, or the absence of parental care. Judy needs help to
voice her feelings and learn ways to feel better.

Bullying

Matt's parents have been wondering why he seems so reluctant to go to school.

The truth is that 8-year-old Matt has been bullied for the past several months by
another boy who shoves him, calls him names and laughs at him. The only times
this boy leaves him alone is when Matt gives him his snack for the day. This
bullying, or repeated aggression and intimidation of a peer, has caused Matt to

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feel anxious, unable to concentrate at school and very insecure. He needs
greater confidence and the tools to deal with the situation.

Poor Social Skills

Janet is a 9-year-old girl who has been given everything she wants by her
parents. She is so accustomed to getting anything she asks for that if they try to
say no, she becomes angry and tearful. Consequently, she is pretty bossy with
her peers. If she has a friend over, she tells her to bring her cookies from the
kitchen or to play a certain character in a pretend play skit.

Janet has poor social skills, which means she interacts with her peers in
unhealthy ways. She needs to learn how to consider other people's feelings and
be polite and friendly or she will have a tough time keeping friends.

Rejection

Q. 5 Analyses the accreditation process of teacher education in Pakistan.(20)



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