Home / Career Explorer / Educational and Library

Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
Encourage students.
Develop instructional objectives.
Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
Advise students on academic or career matters.
Monitor student performance.
Teach others to use technology or equipment.
Teach life skills.
Assess educational needs of students.
Maintain student records.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
Direct activities of subordinates.
Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
Evaluate student work.
Display student work.
Plan educational activities.
Plan experiential learning activities.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Develop instructional materials.
Prepare tests.
Assist students with special educational needs.

Tasks

Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
Modify the general elementary education curriculum for students with disabilities.
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.
Meet with parents or guardians to discuss their children's progress, advise them on using community resources, or teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.
Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.
Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students.
Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests.
Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements.
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.
Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise elementary school programs.
Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress.
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.
Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs.
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Session has been expired