Preparation of Teachers of EAL in Greece: Research, Policy, Curriculum, and Practice

This chapter centres on recent policy, curriculum planning and educa-tional practices surrounding the preparation of EAL teachers in Greece, by drawing on a number of pre-service and in-service teacher education initiatives. We begin our chapter by reviewing the historical context of EAL provision in Greece and the subsequent need for well-equipped English teachers to cater for the diverse needs of EAL learners. We then discuss innovative interventions within pre-service and in-service teacher education, both of which have a solid research foundation, address cur-riculum standards and lead to nationally accredited qualifications for EAL teachers across the board. Specifically, we describe the national policy on pedagogical and teaching competencies (for the pre-service level) running at two different universities, the training of teachers for EAL at primary school and the creation of communities of practice through online platforms and mentor systems, as well as the training of EAL teachers in the use of new technologies (at the in-service level and for continuous professional development).