Becoming a special education (special ed) teacher requires an on-campus or online degree in education and special education teaching.
Once you get the degree you have to be licensed by the state. For example, some states allow you to receive a general education credential. Then you train in a specialty such as learning disabilities or behavioral disorders.
Once you get the degree you have to be licensed by the state. For example, some states allow you to receive a general education credential. Then you train in a specialty such as learning disabilities or behavioral disorders.
Related Special-Education Teacher Programs
What does a special education teacher do?
Special education teachers assist children who have disabilities. Following are the disability types that may require a student to be involved in a special education program:
• Speech or language
• Specific learning
• Mental retardation
• Hearing and/or visualimpairments
• Emotional disturbances
• Autism
• Brain injury
• Orthopedic impairments
Teaching methods are tailored to the disability and can include intensive individual instruction, small group work and problem solving assignments. The special ed teacher designs curriculum, assigns appropriate work and grades papers and homework assignments. They are involved in the student’s total academic world including behavior and social development.
One of the duties of a special education teacher includes developing Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for each student.
What kind of education does a special education teacher need?
If you decide to become a special ed teacher, you can obtain degrees at the bachelor’s, masters and doctorate levels. However, special ed teachers sometimes have to go through longer training periods than do general education teachers. Also, an increasing number of college and university special ed programs include a fifth year of instruction. The last year is usually spent teaching in a classroom while being supervised by a certified special education teacher.
To obtain your license, a bachelor’s degree plus the completion of an approved teacher preparation is required. This includes a certain amount of subject and education credits and a period of supervised practice teaching. Many states also require the prospective teacher to pass an assessment test, too.
How much does a special education teacher earn?
Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that median annual salaries for special education teachers are at around $50,020.
Where can a special education teacher work?
The majority of special education teachers work in schools, either in classrooms or separate resource rooms. Some also work in homes and residential facilities.