Special Needs Teaching

Special needs teachers work with children who have a variety of conditions, ranging from emotional and behavioural problems to children with complex physical or mental handicaps. It is a highly challenging career, both physically and emotionally, as it involves not just the normal tasks of teaching but also helping pupils with tasks such as eating.

Due to the demanding nature of the job two or three years experience is usually needed; therefore in practice you must be a qualified teacher first before you can specialise in this field.

Education
Although some undergraduate courses, such as the Bachelor of Education (see the Primary Teaching section), do touch upon the basic skills required for special needs teaching, students will have to complete a postgraduate programme – in the case of secondary teachers, for a second time after completing the Higher Diploma in Education – before being qualified to become a special needs teacher.

Examples of these postgraduate programmes include the Graduate Diploma in Special Education Needs and the Higher Diploma for Teachers of the Deaf, both at UCD, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education Needs at NUI Galway, all of which are one-year level nine programmes.

In the meantime, you can attain good experience of helping pupils with special needs by becoming a special needs assistant (SNA). Part-time FETAC accredited courses are available in special needs assistance in VECs across Ireland (please visit www.nightcourses.com for details of a course near you), and part-time work is readily available.

Options After Qualification
Special needs teachers and assistants can work in three different areas. Many children with disabilities or special needs attend normal classes where they are allocated a resource teacher or special needs assistant. Some schools provide special classes with a deliberately low teacher-pupil ratio, to ensure a more focused approach, and there are also 107 special needs schools nationwide.

Career prospects are good as there is a growing demand for special needs teachers in both private and state schools. Opportunities for employment abroad also exist.

The Work
There are hugely differing special needs requirements and so it is impossible to simply categorise a special needs teacher’s role. A common goal is to encourage self-confidence and independence among the pupils.

Imaginative methods of teaching are often utilised to convey the coarse material in a manner that suits the child, often involving audio-visual materials and computers.

Specific conditions require different techniques. Pupils with learning difficulties may only need extra tuition to catch up with the rest of the class. Those with behavioural difficulties often require guidance in expressing themselves effectively. Students with permanent or long-term conditions, such as blindness, need to learn special skills (such as Braille) to achieve the most from life. In the case of severely disabled students, assistance is often required with basic skills such as washing, dressing and feeding themselves.

In all cases, it is vital that the special needs teacher maintains constant communication with all others involved in the pupil’s wellbeing, including parents, doctors, social workers, physiotherapists and psychologists.

Special needs assistants work under the supervision of the class teacher. Their duties can involve helping pupils to improve their independent living skills, supporting pupils in social activities and outings, assisting pupils during therapy sessions and attending to pupils’ physical needs.

Personal Qualities & Work Environment
Good communication skills and patience are essential for becoming a special needs teacher. A warm and outgoing personality will also go a long way in establishing a trusting relationship with students.

Special needs teaching will often require creative thinking and good problem solving skills, as you must find a way to convey information in a manner that best suits your pupils’ learning capabilities.
Last but not least, you should have the same professional ability to apply discipline that is required of all teachers, as it is in many ways a classroom like any other, with its fair share of troublemakers!

The Money
A newly qualified special needs teacher will earn about €22,000 a year, rising to about €55,000 a year with experience. Special needs assistants who are starting out are generally paid €12.05 an hour; this figure can increase to €19.54 with time.

The Jargon
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A condition characterised by behavioural and learning disorders
Individualised Education Programmes (IEP): A specialised learning programme developed according to a pupil’s individual needs
Resource Teacher: Allocated to one or more schools to assist with pupils with special needs who are fully integrated into the standard classroom

Job Titles
Special Needs Teacher
Special Needs Assistant
Resource Teacher

Further Resources
Special Education Support Service (SESS)
c/o Cork Education Support Centre
Western Road
Cork
Phone: 1850 200 884
Web: www.sess.ie
Email: info@sess.ie

National Council for Special Education
1-2 Mill Street
Trim
Co. Meath
Phone: 046 948 6400
Web: www.ncse.ie
Email: info@ncse.ie

Scoilnet – portal for Irish Education
www.scoilnet.ie