QUALIFICATION EXAMS FOR ACCESS TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION: CONTENT AND FEATURES IN SELECTED EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

The relevance of this study is determined by recent changes in Ukrainian legislation that introduce a clear procedure for awarding graduates the professional qualification of a teacher. A key element of this procedure is the assessment of students’ acquired professional competencies, which requires the selection of appropriate evaluation methods. The purpose of the article is to analyse the content and structure of qualification examinations that grant the right to practice teaching, using the cases of Spain, Italy, Germany (Hesse), and France. The research objectives are to identify the general requirements for entering the teaching profession and to outline the parameters of qualification assessments that could be adapted to the Ukrainian context. The article establishes that systems of access to the teaching profession in European countries can be conditionally divided into two groups: (1) obtaining the required level of higher education; (2) obtaining higher education combined with additional legally defined requirements. The stages of professional entry are described: in Italy, Spain, and France they include earning the appropriate higher education degree (mostly at the master’s level, or bachelor’s supplemented with additional pedagogical training), passing a competitive selection, and completing an internship; whereas in Hesse (Germany), the path consists of obtaining a master’s degree, passing the first state examination, completing teacher training, and passing the second state examination. The structure of qualification examinations and competitive selections is analysed: they usually consist of a written component (to assess general and subject-specific knowledge) and an oral/practical component (to evaluate teaching skills). Based on the comparative analysis, a multi-stage model of qualification examination for graduates of bachelor’s and master’s programs in Ukraine is proposed, which includes written, practical and oral components.