Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. They adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with mild and moderate disabilities. They also teach basic skills, such as literacy and communication techniques, to students with severe disabilities. Special education teachers work with general education teachers, counselors, school superintendents, administrators, and parents. The exact duties of special education teachers depend on the type of setting they work in, their level of training, and the needs of the students.
A special education teacher is someone who works with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities. Children with disabilities are those who have been identified by an appropriate authority as having an intellectual disability; a hearing impairment including deafness; a speech or language impairment; a visual impairment including blindness; a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this article as “emotional disturbance”); an orthopedic impairment; autism; traumatic brain injury; another health impairment; a specific learning disability; deaf-blindness; or multiple disabilities, and who by reason thereof require special education and related services (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA], 2004).
Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. They adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with mild and moderate disabilities. They also teach basic skills, such as literacy and communication techniques, to students with severe disabilities.
Special education teachers deliver instruction to children and youth who have a variety of disabilities. They may work with kids who have autism, learning disabilities, developmental delays, emotional disorders, or physical impairments. These teachers typically work in classrooms that serve students with disabilities only, while others work in a separate classroom that is part of a general education school.
The goal of special education is to help each student meet their potential by addressing each child’s individual needs. Special education teachers use a variety of teaching methods and tools to reach all students in their class.
They typically work in public schools with small groups of students who have similar needs. They may be assigned to particular grades (e.g., first grade) or types of classes (e.g., English), or they may travel between classrooms and deliver lessons to multiple students at once. Special education teachers may also have non-teaching duties such as evaluating students’ progress and meeting with parents or guardians to discuss their children’s needs.
Special education teachers are teachers who provide instruction to students with special learning needs. These individuals help their students learn basic skills, such as reading, writing, and math. Their goal is to help their students succeed in a regular classroom setting.
Special education teachers may work with students in regular classrooms, or in smaller groups or one-on-one settings. They communicate regularly with parents and guardians to provide updates on the student’s progress and discuss any issues that arise. Special education teachers may also coordinate with other professionals, including speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, school psychologists, etc., to develop a comprehensive plan for the student that involves several areas of focus.
Because special education students often face psychological challenges as well as those related to their disability, special education teachers need patience, compassion, and excellent communication skills. Teachers will also need to be able to think quickly on their feet when addressing issues that arise during the course of the day.