Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Education & Library
• O*NET-SOC code: 25-2056
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
• Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
• Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
• Modify the general elementary education curriculum for students with disabilities.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
• Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
• Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
• Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
• Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adaptive paint brushes, Adaptive scissors, Alternative computer keyboards, American Sign Language Browser, Braille label makers, Braille note-taking systems, Braille rulers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
• Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
• Special Education Teachers, Middle School
• Special Education Teachers, Preschool
• Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
• Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
• Teaching Assistants, Special Education
• Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Special Education Teachers, Elementary School — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.