Special needs education teaching professionals organise and provide instruction at a variety of different levels to children who have emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties or physical disabilities. These professionals may also work with exceptionally gifted pupils.

Tasks

  • Creates a safe, stimulating and supportive learning environment for students
  • Assesses student’s abilities, identifies student’s needs and devises curriculum and rota of teaching duties accordingly
  • Gives instruction, using techniques appropriate to the student’s handicap
  • Develops and adapts conventional teaching methods to meet the individual student’s needs
  • Encourages the student to develop self-help skills to circumvent the limitations imposed by their disability
  • Prepares, assigns and corrects exercises to record and evaluate students progress
  • Supervises students in classroom and maintains discipline
  • Liaises with other professionals, such as social workers, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists
  • Updates and maintains students’ records to monitor development and progress
  • Discusses student’s progress with parents and other teaching professionals.

Entry Requirements

Entry is with a first degree that provides QTS (qualified teacher status) or, in Scotland, TQ (teaching qualification); or other relevant degree followed by further postgraduate training (most commonly PGCE – Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education, or, in Scotland, PGDE – Professional Graduate Diploma in Education). Additionally, prior experience in mainstream teaching is usually required, and further training for special needs teaching may be mandatory.

What could I earn?

Salaries for this occupation tend to start at £28,000 per annum and can progress up to £38,000 per annum.

Is it in growth or decline?

There are currently 9,499 employed Special Needs Education Teaching Professionals in the region.