What does a special education instructor do?
These education instructors provide verified and special instructions to deal with the instructional objectives/goals featured within each learner's IEP. They assess learners' progress and identify if there is a need to reinforce or adjust instructional techniques. They make it easy for learners to attain their IEP objectives by employing different teaching principles, methods, and techniques. Besides evaluating and re-evaluating special education, These education instructors also direct, supervise and evaluate educational assistants where possible. These professionals also perform their duties based on federal and state regulations and rules and school board policies.
Special education instructor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real special education instructor resumes:
- Lead the data team with interpreting results, including NWEA and other benchmark assessments.
- Assist classroom teacher in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics.
- Supervise and assign personnel to meet daily ESE departmental objectives.
- Facilitate college preparation and scholarship processes and teach remedial and intervention mathematics and strategic reading classes.
- Administer individualized instruction in reading and math to students in special education and general education as a push-in and pull-out instructor.
- Design and teach a study skills class for special education students in a pull-out setting.
- Support a balance reading program through guide reading groups, reading clubs, and word study centers.
- Lead the data team with interpreting results, including NWEA and other benchmark assessments.
Special education instructor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Special Education Instructors are proficient in Autism, Data Collection, and ABA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Patience, and Resourcefulness.
We break down the percentage of Special Education Instructors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Autism, 14%
Instructed students with disabilities/mental retardation and autism.
- Data Collection, 9%
Measured progress towards IEP goals using quantitative and qualitative data collection.
- ABA, 8%
Led bi-weekly team meetings with a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst- ABA consultant.
- Early Intervention, 7%
Worked in partnership with neighboring elementary schools to promote advanced early intervention programs.
- Professional Development, 7%
Designed and delivered school-wide professional development on special education policy to 80 teachers.
- Kids, 7%
Educate special needs kids with mental and physical disabilities using proven conventional and improvised teaching/learning methods.
"autism," "data collection," and "aba" are among the most common skills that special education instructors use at work. You can find even more special education instructor responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a special education instructor to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what special education instructors do because "special education teachers need to explain concepts in terms that students with learning disabilities can understand." Additionally, a special education instructor resume shows how special education instructors use communication skills: "encourage open lines of communication with colleagues and facilitate professional development sessions to promote growth. "
Patience. Another essential skill to perform special education instructor duties is patience. Special education instructors responsibilities require that "special education teachers must be able to stay calm instructing students with disabilities, who may lack basic skills, present behavioral or other challenges, or require repeated efforts to understand material." Special education instructors also use patience in their role according to a real resume snippet: "demonstrate patience and understanding while providing individualized instruction in a safe, inclusive classroom learning environment for students with significant disabilities. "
Resourcefulness. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of special education instructors is resourcefulness. This skill is critical to many everyday special education instructor duties, as "special education teachers must develop different ways to present information that meet their students’ needs." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "showed resourcefulness and teaching effectiveness in meeting the needs of students with limited english language proficiency as well as learning disabilities. "
The three companies that hire the most special education instructors are:
- All About Kids Childcare Franchise4 special education instructors jobs
- Sunny Days3 special education instructors jobs
- EASTCONN3 special education instructors jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable special education instructor resume templates
Build a professional special education instructor resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your special education instructor resume.
Compare different special education instructors
Special education instructor vs. Learning support teacher
Learning support teachers focus on offering out-of-school education to pupils who need additional help. Their duties include planning and implementing constructive teaching policies as well as collaborating with parents, other relevant professionals, and personnel. They assist pupils in adapting and overcoming problems that emerge due to learning difficulties. Also, the design and foster suitable skills and social abilities as well as motivate students to develop independence, self-confidence, and to achieve their full potential. Additionally, they develop and deliver lessons as well as record and assess children's progress.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, special education instructor responsibilities require skills like "autism," "aba," "early intervention," and "kids." Meanwhile a typical learning support teacher has skills in areas such as "classroom management," "math," "iep," and "classroom environment." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, learning support teachers reach similar levels of education than special education instructors. Learning support teachers are 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Special education instructor vs. Resource teacher
A Resource Teacher is responsible for providing curriculum support systems for students, teachers, and administrators. Another role of a Resource Teacher is to assist the class teacher and provide additional support for children with moderate learning difficulties.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real special education instructor resumes. While special education instructor responsibilities can utilize skills like "autism," "aba," "early intervention," and "kids," resource teachers use skills like "classroom management," "math," "student learning," and "behavior management."
Resource teachers earn similar levels of education than special education instructors in general. They're 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for special education instructors in the next 3-5 years?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Special education instructor vs. Learning disabilities teacher
A Learning Disability Teacher plays a vital role in ensuring that every child with special needs can be able to learn even though they are physically and mentally struggling because of their disability. This career does a lot of intervention and production of outcomes for the individual to understand the importance of studying. They use different guides and materials like diagrams, pictures, and other graphics to improve their cognitive, psychological, and analytical thinking of an individual who has disability issues.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a special education instructor is likely to be skilled in "data collection," "aba," "early intervention," and "kids," while a typical learning disabilities teacher is skilled in "student learning," "curriculum development," "student achievement," and "instructional strategies."
Learning disabilities teachers typically earn higher educational levels compared to special education instructors. Specifically, they're 5.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Special education instructor vs. Education paraprofessional
An education paraprofessional's role is to carry out support tasks for a teacher in a school setting. They are responsible for creating learning materials such as visual aids and presentations, participating in devising lesson plans and assessment methods, grading and evaluating student performances, and even maintaining order in the classroom. There are also instances where they must assist students who are having difficulties catching up with the lessons. Furthermore, an education paraprofessional may also teach under the supervision of a more experienced educator.
Types of special education instructor
Updated January 8, 2025
