Special Needs Teacher

Special needs teachers spend most of their working day providing instruction and dealing with unexpected as well as routine situations. They work with children who have:

• physical or developmental disabilities
• hearing, visual, speech or language disabilities
• learning disabilities
• behaviour disorders or mental illness
• high intelligence or talent.

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:

• work closely with parents and professionals from community agencies
• perform diagnostic assessments to determine student strengths and areas of need
• develop educational goals, objectives and individualized program plans
• choose or develop specially designed instructional methods and materials
• prepare and present lessons
• monitor student performance and assess each student's progress
• work with teaching assistants.

Their working environments and responsibilities may vary considerably. For example, special needs teachers may:

• teach all or most subjects for a class of children who have a variety of disabilities or a particular type of difficulty
• meet with students from regular school classrooms on an individual basis or in small groups, and work in co-operation with classroom teachers to help children who have learning disabilities, language deficiencies or academic deficiencies
• travel from school to school providing tutorial services for students who are hearing or vision impaired, and provide consultative services for classroom teachers
• work with therapists in special clinics which children visit for assessments, therapy or instruction
• work with other teachers to adapt educational programs for students with special needs in regular classrooms.

Special needs teachers also may work in:

• special schools with many classes of children with disabilities
• hospitals for children with short and long term disabilities or illnesses
• the homes of children who are homebound due to sickness, rehabilitation needs or severe physical disabilities
• institutional schools for children who have neuropsychiatric, emotional or social disabilities.

Working with children who have special needs requires considerable physical, mental and emotional energy. Other working conditions for special needs teachers vary depending on student needs, the type of facility and the philosophy of the facility. 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 must be able to:

• work closely and co-operatively with other teachers, parents and consultants
• maintain a positive attitude and focus on student capabilities, not limitations.

They should enjoy finding different ways to solve questions and present information, and organizing and co-ordinating the work of others.

Below-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.

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.

Special needs teachers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 4032: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers.  In Alberta, 99% of people employed in this classification work in the Educational Services (PDF) industry.

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Educational Services industry)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Over 21,300 Albertans are employed in the Elementary school and kindergarten teachers occupational group. This group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.5% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 320 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover. Note: As special needs teachers form only a part of this larger occupational group, only some of these newly created positions will be for special needs teachers. 

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.

Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) website: www.teachers.ab.ca

For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.