Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher Overview
Special education teachers instruct children and adults who have various disabilities and special needs. Most special education teachers work with children who have mild to moderate disabilities. These instructors use or modify a traditional education curriculum to meet each child’s specific requirements by developing an individualized education program (IEP).
A small percentage of special education teachers work with students who have severe cases of mental retardation or autism. These instructors’ primary objective is to teach life skills, basic literacy, and communication. Students may need special education assistance if they have speech or language impairments, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments.
Most special education teachers work at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, although some help infants and toddlers, and some work in the higher education settings.
Special Education Teacher Training & Education
Every state requires special education teachers to be licensed. Typically, this means the individual must hold at least a bachelor’s degree in teaching and must complete an approved training program in special education teaching. Special education teachers are usually required to go through longer training periods than general education teachers. Many states require a master’s degree.
Colleges and universities across The United States offer special education programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree levels. In additional to general coursework, those seeking special education licensure usually need to complete classes in educational psychology, legal issues of special education, child growth and development, and strategies for teaching students with disabilities.
Special Education Teacher Career & Salary Outlook
Individuals interested in teaching special education should find the employment outlook promising, particularly in inner cities and rural areas and in certain regions of the country, such as the south and west. On the whole, employment for special education teachers is expected to increase faster than other teaching areas. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 15-percent increase in demand for special education teachers between 2006 and 2016. With improved medical understanding of disabilities, more and more individuals with special needs are seeking education in order to improve their overall quality of life. Many school districts report a difficulty in finding qualified special education teachers to fill positions.
The median annual earnings for special education teachers in preschools, kindergartens, and elementary schools is $46,360. The highest 10 percent earn more than $73,620. For special education teachers at the middle-school level, the median annual earnings is $47,650, with the highest 10 percent making more than $80,170.
High-school special education teachers earn a median wage-and-salary of $48,330. The highest 10 percent received more than $78,020. The earnings do not reflect extra pay a teacher may receive for coaching sports and/or sponsoring extracurricular activities nor do they take into account income made during the summer months from the school district or other employment.
Social Workers
Social workers help people who are dealing with issues in their everyday lives and/or relationships. Some work with clients who are facing a disability or life-threatening disease or social problem including substance abuse and unemployment. Others conduct research, are involved in planning or policy design and develop, and advocate for service. Many times, social workers specialize in a particular population.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech-language pathologists, or speech therapists as they are sometimes called, work with clients to assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent problems involving speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency. Speech-language pathologists develop individualized plans of care based on each patient's needs and ability.
School Counselor
Counselors help people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and/or career problems depending on where they work and the population they serve. School counselors work with students of all levels – from elementary school through postsecondary education. They may work with students' teachers and other school personnel to promote academic, career, personal, and social development. Counselors also help students with social development problems and/or other special needs.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists help individuals to improve their ability to perform daily living and working tasks. Often, occupational therapists work with individuals who have mental, physical, developmental or emotionally disabling conditions. The goal is to help individuals to live independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
Article Resources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics