#15 – Educate student teachers about traffic safety and mobility education during their training

All student teachers should gain knowledge about traffic safety and mobility education during their training.

The LEARN! Status Report showed that traffic safety and mobility education is not structurally addressed during the education of future teachers. In some countries it is addressed only to a limited extent, while in other countries it depends on the college whether such education is provided, and if it is, whether or not it is provided as an elective course. In other countries, NGOs or authorities organise training or information days for student teachers.

Addressing traffic safety and mobility education structurally during teacher training will help strengthen competences from the first day in the classroom.

BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES

Poland – Post-Graduate Course with Elements on Traffic Safety

In Poland, road safety at schools is taught mainly by the techniques teacher. These teachers are either alumni of pedagogical studies with techniques specialization (which also includes elements of road safety) or alumni of other studies. The latter group should therefore also do a post-graduate course in ‘techniques with elements of road safety education’. In addition, teachers who prepare pupils for a “bicycle licence” need to have completed a 1- or 2-day course.

The Netherlands – Book for Student Teachers

In the Netherlands, a book has been developed focusing on student teachers, aiming to inform and inspire them to give practice-focused traffic safety education in classes. The book pays particular attention to the role of language during the lessons and the possibilities to integrate traffic safety and mobility education in other topics. The book can also be used by teachers at primary schools as well as those teaching the student teachers.

More Information

Westerik & de Gooijer (2012), Verkeer en meer.

Portugal – Initial Training for Student Teachers

Introduced in 2018, the initial training program on road safety is a full day training session held for student kindergarten, primary and elementary teachers. The training addresses road safety education, the curriculum – as part of the citizenship education area (see principle #2), sustainable mobility, phones and driving, as well as practical activities such as using road safety simulators and the measurement of road environmental indicators.

More Information

Information on the initial training for future teachers in Portugal will be made available on the website linked here.

Denmark – Introduction Course at Teachers’ Seminars

In Denmark, student teachers attending teachers’ seminars (organised for teachers teaching 5-15 year old pupils in primary schools) are given the option of a 3-hour free-of-charge introduction course to traffic safety education. The course addresses questions such as “Why teach traffic safety at schools?” and “What should pupils learn?”, and provides an introduction to the different teaching materials, practical exercises and discussions.

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