Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher)
- Resource Teacher
- Special Education Teacher
- Teacher
Alternate Job Titles
- Autistic Teacher
- Behavior Interventionist
- Behavioral Interventionist
- Blind Teacher
- Braille Teacher
- Deaf Education Teacher
- Deaf Teacher
- Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher)
- Early Childhood Special Educator (EC Special Educator)
- Early Intervention Specialist
- Early Intervention Teacher
- ED Teacher (Emotional Disabilities Teacher)
- Educational Intervention Teacher
- Emotionally Impaired Teacher
- Exceptional Needs Teacher
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Psychology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Instructing
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Optimism
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Adaptive paint brushes
- Adaptive scissors
- Adaptive utensils
- Alternative computer keyboards
- Braille writers
- Canes
- Communication boards
- Communication symbol sets
- Computer laser printers
- Desktop computers
- Digital audio recorders
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Educational board games
- Educational puzzles
- Emergency first aid kits
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $38,740 |
| Median | $62,190 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $132,530 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 28,200
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Middle School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $64,880
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $69,590
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $61,430
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.