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Career Details
25-2051.00 - Special Education Teachers, Preschool
25-2051.00 - Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Key Facts

Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
25,500
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
27,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
+2,300
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+9%
Estimate
Tasks

Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
- Arrange indoor or outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, or safety.
- Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
- Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students, parents, or guardians.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Modify the general preschool curriculum for special-needs students.
- Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.
- Plan and supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, or demonstrations.
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
- Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements.
- Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, television, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies.
- Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
- Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential.
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
- Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise preschool programs.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
- Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
- Meet with parents or guardians to discuss their children's progress, advise them on using community resources, or teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.
- Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.
- Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.
- Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Supplemental
- Serve meals or snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge

Knowledge
The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools

Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology

Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications

Licensing

Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs

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