A Study On South African Initial Teacher Education Model

Teacher education is the key of national education.The establishment of democracy in South Africa will break the limitation of the education of apartheid, so the reform of teacher education field is imperative.In the trend of international teacher education development,it’s significant to rebuild initial teacher education model. This dissertation combs the evolution of South African initial teacher education model based on the Apartheid.This dissertation focuses on objectives,curriculum and teaching practice of this model.The research methods are literature analysis,case analysis and comparison.First of all.the study starts from historical review, researching teacher education before and in the apartheid in South Africa.The emphases of the article are objectives.patterns, curriculum and teaching practice.All of these are the cores and essences of initial teacher education mode.Firstly, the article introduces the idea of South African initial teacher education and as a guide to establish teacher education objectives.Teacher education reform pays attention to connection with the international trend. Attaching great importance to the value of life-long education, teachers’ professional development and out-come theory.All kinds of the idea are important principles of teacher education. The objectives of initial teacher education model are attributed to seven kinds of roles in democratic South Africa.The seven kinds of roles cover teachers’ professional knowledge, teaching abilities, professional quality and professional mission.Secondly, it researches the modes of fostering teachers which includes a four-year undergraduate teacher education and a two-year postgraduate education.Two of them both have advantages and disadvantages, but they are indispensable. Thirdly it discusses curriculum which consists of the standards and basis of curriculum.Taking University of Pretoria for instance.as it possesses more perfect course system in college of education.Lastly, it introduces teaching practice which includes institutions, content of teaching practice and tutors.Finally the author sums up the characteristics of initial teacher education model in South Africa. The audit of institution and curriculum is rigorous.The idea of teacher education is chosen by the government.Under the guidance of the idea and the objectives are specific.The teaching practice is implemented throughout all four years in the university.Although there are some problems in this model,such as indistinct requirements for curriculum standards and inhomogeneous resource of teaching practice,the development trend of initial teacher education model is steady.