The Establishment and Development of Professional Training for Preschool Teachers in Western European Countries

The problem of providing lifelong learning opportunities at the present stage of global community development remains relevant and is a top-priority agenda for practically all civilized countries. Positive experience in organizing professional training of preschool teachers in European countries requires that perspective trends in the modernization of future preschool teachers’ professional training should be specified following European standards of teacher education and the most significant achievements of higher education, its peculiarities and specifics should be preserved. Conceptual principles, peculiarities of historical development and key trends in the system of professional teacher education in Germany, France and the UK have been analyzed and determined; professional profiles, professional competency profiles and qualification requirements have been characterized; both national specific and general common trends in development of preschool teachers’ professional training in European countries have been outlined. The development of professional standards for teacher education in European countries contributes to specifying and developing professional profiles of preschool teachers in Europe that are rather diverse and determine the multifacetedness and multifunctionality of professional training. The main trends in education policy and qualification requirements for professional training of preschool teachers in European countries include: providing public sector specialists with initial training; adjusting consecutive education to the provisions of the Bologna Declaration; ensuring continuing professional development of specialists involved in educational activities in preschool institutions; implementing the European conception of professional training with the use of competency-based approach.