What does a special needs teacher do?
A Special Needs Teacher works with children and young people who need support with their learning because they find it difficult. They evaluate students skills to determine their needs, develop teaching plans, and adapt lessons to meet the needs of students.
Special needs teacher responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real special needs teacher resumes:
- Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
- Work with preschool children with various special needs such as autism, down syndrome, ADHD, cerebral palsy, etc.
- Tutor elementary school children with learning disabilities, mood disturbances, and ADHD in all school subjects.
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects including English, mathematics, and social studies.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.
- Train in CPI and paraprofessional.
- Provide and tailor curriculum for students who utilize ABA methodology.
- Assist in school where needed.First Aid and CPR certify each year of employment.
- Develop and monitor individual plans of service, including ESL and language development.
- Conduct family conferences to review student IEPs and progress in both classroom and home environments.
- Utilize standard ABA techniques to improve transitions from one activity to another while staying positive.
- Provide safe, quality care of children, ages infant through Pre-K, while parent/guardian is unavailable.
- Modify IEPs for students' specific needs, keep detailed notes on student behavior, and co-manage classrooms.
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips
- Prepare & deliver training to schools to promote inclusive practices & aid effective teaching of pupils with an autism spectrum disorder.
Special needs teacher skills and personality traits
We calculated that 25% of Special Needs Teachers are proficient in Autism, Behavioral Issues, and Mathematics. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Communication skills, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Special Needs Teachers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Autism, 25%
Utilized knowledge of effective behavior techniques and Autism instruction and interventions to teach and implement programming with severe significant needs students.
- Behavioral Issues, 18%
Work involved planning activities, controlling behavioral issues, establishing a routine for children to follow, homework help.
- Mathematics, 6%
Worked extensively with a third-grade special-needs student to develop grade-level competency in reading, writing, and mathematics.
- Language, 6%
Provided interpretation and transcription of regular classroom materials through sign language and pictures.
- Learning Environment, 4%
Modify curriculum and learning environment to meet student academic/developmental level.
- IEPs, 3%
Modified IEPs for students' specific needs, kept detailed notes on student behavior, and co-managed classrooms.
"autism," "behavioral issues," and "mathematics" are among the most common skills that special needs teachers use at work. You can find even more special needs teacher responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. The most essential soft skill for a special needs teacher to carry out their responsibilities is interpersonal skills. This skill is important for the role because "special education teachers work regularly with a team of educators and the student’s parents to develop ieps." Additionally, a special needs teacher resume shows how their duties depend on interpersonal skills: "focused on time management and interpersonal skills certified first aid cpr aed"
Communication skills. Many special needs teacher duties rely on communication skills. "special education teachers need to explain concepts in terms that students with learning disabilities can understand," so a special needs teacher will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways special needs teacher responsibilities rely on communication skills: "teach alternative communication methods, such as sign language, to children with little or no speech capability. "
Patience. special needs teachers are also known for patience, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to special needs teacher responsibilities, because "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." A special needs teacher resume example shows how patience is used in the workplace: "demonstrate patience and understanding while providing individualized instruction in a safe, inclusive classroom learning environment for students with significant disabilities. "
Resourcefulness. For certain special needs teacher responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "resourcefulness." The day-to-day duties of a special needs teacher rely on this skill, as "special education teachers must develop different ways to present information that meet their students’ needs." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what special needs teachers do: "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 needs teachers are:
- CARE384 special needs teachers jobs
- HealthPRO6 special needs teachers jobs
- Northern Arizona Council Of Governments
6 special needs teachers jobs
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Compare different special needs teachers
Special needs teacher vs. Teacher internship
Teaching interns are individuals who assist teachers and educators in the classroom. The interns are instructed to fulfill the tasks set out and provided by the supervisors for them. They take part in meetings and jot down their minutes. It is part of their job to conduct research at the request of the supervisor. They make updates to social media platforms and make posts. Also, they create images to be used in posts through different social media platforms.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, special needs teacher responsibilities require skills like "autism," "behavioral issues," "language," and "ieps." Meanwhile a typical teacher internship has skills in areas such as "classroom management strategies," "learning styles," "student learning," and "esl." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Teacher interns earn the highest salaries when working in the education industry, with an average yearly salary of $47,436. On the other hand, special needs teachers are paid more in the education industry with an average salary of $45,906.teacher interns tend to reach lower levels of education than special needs teachers. In fact, teacher interns are 5.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Special needs teacher vs. Teacher associate
A teacher associate is responsible for assisting the teacher in classroom operations and providing teaching support for the students. Teacher associates develop learning materials according to the instructions of the headteachers, helping them to track students' progress and observing class behaviors. They also take class responsibility if the teacher is away, ensuring to keep activity records and attendance for reference. A teacher associate must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling students' difficulties and working with the teacher to develop techniques to address those challenges.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that special needs teacher responsibilities requires skills like "autism," "behavioral issues," "language," and "ieps." But a teacher associate might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "child care," "child development," "cleanliness," and "iep."
Teacher associates may earn a lower salary than special needs teachers, but teacher associates earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $32,745. On the other hand, special needs teachers receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $45,906.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Teacher associates tend to reach lower levels of education than special needs teachers. In fact, they're 7.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for special needs teachers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Diana Jones
Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University
Special needs teacher 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.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, special needs teachers are more likely to have skills like "autism," "behavioral issues," "language," and "ieps." But a learning support teacher is more likely to have skills like "math," "iep," "general education curriculum," and "academic support."
Learning support teachers earn the best pay in the education industry, where they command an average salary of $35,976. Special needs teachers earn the highest pay from the education industry, with an average salary of $45,906.Most learning support teachers achieve a similar degree level compared to special needs teachers. For example, they're 4.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Special needs teacher vs. Elementary school teacher
Elementary school teachers are trained to provide education to children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The teachers are responsible for children's emotional and educational growth in the classroom. They manage the resources and materials to be used for their education. It is part of their duties to evaluate the students' performance, social development, physical health, and behavior. Also, they adapt to teaching methods and instructions to meet the interests and needs of the children.
Types of special needs teacher
Updated January 8, 2025
