Special Needs Teacher
Special needs teachers work primarily with children who require special instructional services to help them learn and develop to their potential.
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Educator, Instructor, School Teacher, Teacher, Teacher of Children with Visual Impairment, Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, Teacher of Gifted Children, Teacher of Hospitalized, Homebound or Institutionalized Children
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in leading students in activities to promote their physical, mental and social development; in participating in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops; and in preparing examinations
Interests in co-ordinating information to prepare courses for presentation to students according to curriculum, to identify children's individual learning needs and to prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
Interest in instructing students using a systematic plan of lessons, discussions, audio-visual presentations and field trips; and in assigning and correcting homework and administering and correcting examinations; may supervise teachers' aides and student teachers
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Special needs teachers spend most of their working day providing instruction and handling unexpected as well as routine situations. They work with children who have:
Special needs teachers must understand the unique characteristics of each student and choose or develop appropriate instructional programs and methods. Teaching techniques and methods vary with the particular disability or special talent but, in general, special needs teachers:
Their working environments and responsibilities may vary considerably. For example, special needs teachers may:
Special needs teachers also may work in:
For more information, go to the Inclusive Education page on the Government of Alberta website.
Working with children who have special needs requires considerable physical, mental and emotional stamina. Other working conditions for special needs teachers vary depending on student needs and on the type of facility and its philosophy. For example, some special needs teachers may lift over 20 kilograms when helping children move to and from wheelchairs.
In addition to the qualities required by other teachers, special needs teachers need:
They should enjoy finding different ways to solve questions and present information, and organizing and coordinating the work of others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 39 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 11, 2021 and Jun 05, 2023.
Review these skills to learn:
Security and Safety: Criminal record check | 20 |
---|---|
Construction Specialization: Team player | 18 |
Tasks: Identify childrens' individual learning needs | 18 |
Tasks: Develop course content | 17 |
Tasks: Prepare, administer and correct tests | 17 |
Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 16 |
Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 14 |
Construction Specialization: Dependability | 14 |
Construction Specialization: Flexibility | 13 |
Tasks: Prepare subject material for presentation according to an approved curriculum | 13 |
Special needs teachers may need specific training and skills for working with children who have particular types of disabilities. For example, teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing children must be able to use various sign languages, techniques and aids to communicate with their students.
In Alberta, special needs teachers generally have a bachelor of education (B.Ed.) degree with a specialization related to special education. The minimum qualification is a 4-year B.Ed. degree in elementary education, or a university degree in another area plus a teaching certificate.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
In Alberta, teachers in the K to 12 system work at the elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 6), junior high (Grades 7 to 9), or high school (Grades 10 to 12) levels. Elementary and junior high teachers are typically generalists. However, it is preferred that high school teachers have subject area expertise.
Under Alberta’s Education Act [pdf] and Certification of Teachers and Teacher Leaders Regulation [pdf], school teachers must be certificated by the Government of Alberta.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Teacher.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Special needs teachers are employed in public and private schools and in hospitals and other institutions. With experience and additional training, they may advance to positions in school administration or consulting services.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
In the 4032: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers occupational group, 99.7% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 4032: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 754 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years. The Alberta Teachers’ Association estimates that about 900 teaching positions will become vacant each year due to retirement.
Salaries vary from one school board to another because wages and benefits are determined by collective agreements between boards and their teachers. However, all teachers are paid according to a grid system based on the number of years of training and experience a teacher has.
All teachers employed in Alberta’s publicly supported schools are members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and are automatically included under the Alberta Teachers Pension Plans Act [pdf]. Holidays and pensions are specified by provincial legislation. However, teachers often use the spring, summer or Christmas break periods for professional development or for fulfilling additional professional responsibilities.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
---|---|---|---|---|
Starting | $26.72 | $45.53 | $32.69 | $29.12 |
Overall | $34.83 | $56.22 | $44.80 | $43.11 |
Top | $44.39 | $77.66 | $56.45 | $53.54 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
Public Administration | $89,055 |
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Educational Services | $80,100 |
ALL INDUSTRIES | $79,957 |
Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) website: www.teachers.ab.ca
Inclusion Canada website: inclusioncanada.ca
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada website: www.ldac-acta.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2021. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.