Special Education Teachers

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 (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

Academic Qualification

One can enter the career field either doing a diploma course or a bachelor of special education programme. For diploma course 10 plus 2 is the minimum requirement. A diploma in community-based rehabilitation (DCBR) or multi rehabilitation worker (MRW) with six months certificate course in education of children with special needs is essential. Whereas for bachelor course in special education one must have at least a bachelor degree from a recognised university. There are also Masters course in special education for which requirement is bachelor degree in special education.

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 simple 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.

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