Career Details
Career Details
Use this dropdown to update your zip code
Back to top

Career Details

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
Expand or Shrink Accordion
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
Expand or Shrink Accordion
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
Expand or Shrink Accordion
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.
 English Language
  • 90%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Education and Training
  • 85%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Psychology
  • 76%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 68%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Therapy and Counseling
  • 66%
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 65%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Clerical
  • 62%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 61%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 60%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Medicine and Dentistry
  • 59%
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
 Philosophy and Theology
  • 58%
    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
 Mathematics
  • 57%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Communications and Media
  • 55%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Law and Government
  • 53%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Foreign Language
  • 51%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Leisure and recreational aids for the physically challenged
  • Adaptive paint brushes
  • Adaptive scissors
  • Page turners
 Computer data input devices
  • Alternative computer keyboards
  • Head operated joysticks
  • Mouth operated joysticks
  • Reading pens
  • Track balls
 Communication aids for the physically challenged
  • Braille writers
  • Communication boards
  • Communication symbol sets
  • Eye gaze communication boards
  • Hearing aid devices
  • Jellybean switches
  • Pointing devices
  • Sound switches
 Computer printers
  • Computer laser printers
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Digital audio recorders
  • Digital video disk DVD players
  • Video cassette recorders VCR
 Games
  • Educational board games
  • Educational puzzles
 Computer displays
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Wireless touch screen monitors
 Patient transport products
  • Motorized scooters
  • Wheelchairs
 Projectors and supplies
  • Overhead data projectors
 Duplicating machines
  • Photocopying equipment
 Toys
  • Science activity kits
  • Toy block sets
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Data management and query software
  • American Sign Language Browser
 Educational or reference software
  • Children's educational software
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Drawing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Word processing software
 Information exchange software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
 Utility and device driver software
  • Screen magnification software
  • Screen reader software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
Expand or Shrink Accordion
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
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Laurel Ridge Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Wytheville Community College