Details Report for:
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.
Sample of reported job titles: Emotional Disabilities Teacher, Hearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher), Learning Support Teacher, Resource Program Teacher, Severe Emotional Disorders Elementary Teacher (SED Elementary Teacher), Special Education Inclusion Teacher, Special Education Resource Teacher, Special Education Teacher
This title represents an occupation for which data collection is currently underway.
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Detailed Work Activities | Credentials | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- 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.
Technology Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Computer based training software — Children's educational software; EasyCBM; Rethink Ed; Scientific Learning Fast ForWord
- Data base user interface and query software — American Sign Language Browser; Individualized Educational Program IEP software
- Device drivers or system software — Screen magnification software; Screen reader software; Synapse outSPOKEN; The vOICe Learning Edition
- Electronic mail software — Email software; Microsoft Outlook
- Graphics or photo imaging software — Drawing software
- Internet browser software — Web browser software
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Voice recognition software — goQ WordQ; Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking; Voice activated software
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Adaptive communication switches for the physically challenged — Jellybean switches; Sound switches
- Assistive listening devices — FM amplification systems
- Balance or gross motor equipment — Play structures
- Binocular light compound microscopes — Optical compound microscopes
- Board games — Educational board games
- Braille devices for the physically challenged — Braille label makers; Braille note-taking systems; Braille rulers; Braille writers
- Building blocks — Toy block sets
- Canes or cane accessories — Laser canes
- Childrens science kits — Science activity kits
- Compact disk players or recorders — Compact disk CD players
- Compasses — Pencil compasses
- Computer mouse or trackballs — Eye controlled computer mouse equipment; Foot operated computer mouse equipment; Trackballs
- Desktop calculator — Large display calculators; Talking calculators
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras — Compact digital cameras
- Digital voice recorders — Digital audio recorders
- Document camera — Document cameras
- Emergency medical services first aid kits — Emergency first aid kits
- Enteral feeding administration sets — Enteral feeding equipment
- Game pads or joy sticks — Head operated joysticks; Mouth operated joysticks
- Handheld thermometer — Talking thermometers
- Handicraft tools or materials or equipment for the physically challenged — Adaptive paint brushes; Adaptive scissors
- Hearing aids for the physically challenged — Hearing aid devices
- Keyboards — Alternative computer keyboards
- Laminators — Laminating equipment
- Laser printers — Computer laser printers
- Letter or symbol boards for the physically challenged — Portable communication boards
- Medical suction cannulas or tubes or accessories — Oral suction tubes
- Notebook computers — Laptop computers
- Overhead projectors — Overhead data projectors
- Page turners for the physically challenged — Page turners
- Patient scooters — Motorized scooters
- Personal computers
- Photocopiers — Photocopying equipment
- Pointers — Optical pointing devices
- Puzzles — Educational puzzles
- Sand or water tables or activity centers — Sand tables; Water tables
- Scanners — Computer data input scanners; Computer voice input devices; Reading pens
- Standers or standing aids — Standing aids
- Telecommunication devices TDD or teletypewriters TTY for the physically challenged — Telecommunication devices TDD
- Therapeutic pegboards or activity boards — Pegboards
- Touch screen monitors — Interactive whiteboards; Wireless touch screen monitors
- Voice synthesizers for the physically challenged — Voice output devices
- Walkers or rollators — Walkers
- Wheelchairs — Powered wheelchairs
Detailed Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
- Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
- Teach life skills.
- Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
- Develop instructional objectives.
- Evaluate student work.
- Monitor student performance.
- Plan educational activities.
- Advise students on academic or career matters.
- Assess educational needs of students.
- Assist students with special educational needs.
- Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
- Develop instructional materials.
- Direct activities of subordinates.
- Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
- Display student work.
- Encourage students.
- Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
- Maintain student records.
- Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
- Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
- Plan experiential learning activities.
- Prepare tests.
- Set up classroom materials or equipment.
- Teach others to use technology or equipment.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wage data for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School.
Employment data for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School.
Industry data for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School.
Median wages (2019) | $60,460 annual |
State wages | |
Local wages | |
Employment (2019) | 193,000 employees |
Projected growth (2019-2029) | ![]() |
Projected job openings (2019-2029) | 13,900 |
State trends | |
Top industries (2019) | Educational Services (98% employed in this sector)
|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data
and 2019-2029 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2019-2029). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
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