Special Needs Teaching

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 everyday 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 Postgraduate 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 provided by UCD, UCC and St Angela’s College.

In the meantime, you can attain good experience of helping pupils with special needs by becoming a special needs assistant (SNA). FETAC accredited Childcare courses that provide training for SNA roles are available from local colleges across Ireland. Modules you will encounter include Working in Childcare, Child Development, Caring for Children with Special Needs, and Art & Craft for Childcare.

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 over one hundred special needs schools nationwide.

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.

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.

Did you know?

In Denmark, 99% of students with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia are educated alongside students without any learning challenges.

Further Resources

• Special Education Support Service (SESS): www.sess.ie
• National Council for Special Education: www.ncse.ie
• Irish Association of Teachers in Special Education (IATSE): www.iatse.ie