Special Education Teachers Career
Are you compassionate person who would love to teach students with special needs? Are you ready to take the challenging job of helping special students with severe disabilities to develop the skills necessary for living independently and find a job? If your answer to these questions is yes then do consider becoming Special Education Teacher. It is highly rewarding yet it could be also quite challenging and emotionally demanding.
The special education teachers help present the information in a manner that is more easily understood by special education students. Special education teachers help in understanding how students learn and adapting study skills and strategies that best meet their needs.
They also serve as consultants to general education teachers to help them adapt lessons that will meet the needs of the special education students in their classes. Special education teachers may have students who visit them throughout the day to get extra help with particular subjects or lessons.
Role of Special Education Teachers
- Assess students’ knowledge and skills to determine their strengths and needs.
- Adapt and collaborate with teachers to meet the needs of special education students.
- Maintaining Student Records/Reporting Student Data.
- Evaluating Student Progress.
- Assist and develop individualized instruction programmes (IEPs).
- Develop transition plans that outline services to help students as they graduate or move to a new school.
- Update IEPs throughout the school year to reflect students’ progress and goals.
- Meet with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators to discuss students’ progress.
- Work with teacher assistants to ensure that they have the skills and information necessary to work with special education students.
Skills of Special Education Teachers
Positive Attitude: The special educator also demonstrates the ability to provide positive behavioral support to students in a group and in an individual setting.
Communication skills: Special education teachers need effective communication skills to collaborate with teacher assistants and general education teachers and also to discuss students’ needs with parents and administrators.
Creativity: Special education teachers need to think creatively to develop new ways to present information in a manner that meets the learning styles of the students they serve.
Critical-thinking skills: Special education teachers must have good analytical skills so that they could analyze information and use that information to develop strategies to help students learn.
Instructional skills: Special education teachers should be able to explain difficult concepts in simplest possible way so that students with learning disabilities can understand.
Patience: Working with students of different abilities and backgrounds can be difficult. Special education teachers must be patient when students struggle with material.
People skills: Special education teachers should have excellent human relations skills so that they can work with general education teachers, school counselors, administrators, and parents to develop Individualized Education Plans that are in the students’ best interests.
Some Job Titles
Special Education Teacher, Teacher, High School Special Education Teacher, Special Education Resource Teacher, Learning Disabilities Special Education Teacher (LD Special Education Teacher), Learning Support Teacher, Career and Transition Teacher, Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher), Interrelated Special Education Teacher, Resource Teacher
Where to study
To become special education teacher you may need a bachelor's degree with training in education/special education. Recruitment criteria may vary depending on level of school you wish to join and may be your location as well. To find a suitable study programme go to
University Hub.