The suitability of teachers in compulsory secondary education in Spain. A self-informed perception

Abstract

Teaching professional suitability is a complex construct that not only manifests itself in a varied set of effects, but also in the evolution of its intensity over time. In this context, initial training, in-service training and teaching skills recognized by teachers themselves are key aspects for defining policies or for correcting them. On the other hand, the differential diagnosis, according to the socioeconomic and cultural level of the schools, is recommended to adjust the compensatory policies focused on the teacher factor. The present study provides an empirical diagnosis of all these elements, at both the national and territorial levels, and yields the following main results: (1) the lack of initial teacher training in the subject they teach yields moderate figures that, particularly in the case of Technology and Mathematics, can be considered worrying, especially in some territories; (2) the existence of recognized training needs in key aspects of teaching that affect between a quarter and a third of the teachers surveyed and which is higher in disadvantaged schools; (3) only half of the teaching staff at ESO are considered sufficiently competent to meet the set of requirements that, according to the PISA, teachers in practice must be able to meet.