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

Career Details

25-2056.00 - Special Education Teachers, Elementary School


Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school 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
N/A
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
N/A
Estimate
Change in Employment
N/A
Estimate
Change in Employment %
N/A
Estimate
Tasks
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Generic
  • Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs.
  • 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 elementary school programs.
  • Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
  • Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
  • Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
  • Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
  • 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.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  • Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests.
  • Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
  • Instruct special needs students in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
  • Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.
  • Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
  • 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.
  • Modify the general elementary education 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 display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.
  • Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.
  • Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.
  • 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 school or state requirements.
  • Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress.
  • Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
  • 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.
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.
No specific knowledge is listed for this career
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
  • Computer data input scanners
  • Computer voice input devices
  • Eye controlled computer mouse equipment
  • Foot operated computer mouse equipment
  • Head operated joysticks
  • Mouth operated joysticks
  • Reading pens
  • Trackballs
 Communication aids for the physically challenged
  • Braille label makers
  • Braille note-taking systems
  • Braille rulers
  • Braille writers
  • Hearing aid devices
  • Jellybean switches
  • Portable communication boards
  • Sound switches
  • Telecommunication devices TDD
  • Voice output devices
 Cameras
  • Compact digital cameras
  • Document cameras
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Digital audio recorders
 Computer printers
  • Computer laser printers
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Games
  • Educational board games
  • Educational puzzles
 Computer displays
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Wireless touch screen monitors
 Calculating machines and accessories
  • Large display calculators
  • Talking calculators
 Patient transport products
  • Motorized scooters
  • Powered wheelchairs
  • Wheelchairs
 Projectors and supplies
  • Optical pointing devices
  • Overhead data projectors
 Drafting supplies
  • Pencil compasses
 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
  • Individualized Educational Program IEP software
 Educational or reference software
  • Children's educational software
  • EasyCBM
  • Rethink Ed
  • Scientific Learning Fast ForWord
 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
  • goQ WordQ
  • Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking
  • Screen magnification software
  • Screen reader software
  • Synapse outSPOKEN
  • The vOICe Learning Edition
  • Voice activated 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.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
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
Wytheville Community College