How to Become a Special Educator

About Special Educator

A career in special education is most suited for those who have an incredible passion for teaching and love as well as concern for children with special needs. Special education means a personalised schooling given to children with different disabilities both physical and mental. Children with such disabilities need special training and instruction by well-trained professionals in the field of special education. Special education offers different career opportunities including teaching, instruction and curriculum development for children with special needs and adults. The major responsibility of special educator is to teach and interact with children who have a variety of disabilities. The special educators are trained in specific disabilities that include learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, visual impairments etc.

As stated by the HRD ministry, there are around 3.17 crore disabled people. To truly address the needs of a population of this size, India requires at least 20 lakh special educators. A career in special education is best suited for those who have a strong desire to educate and care deeply about disabled children. Individualized instruction is provided to children with a variety of physical and mental disabilities through special education. Children with severe disabilities require specialised training and instruction from specially trained educators. Special education provides a variety of professional options for children and people with special needs, including teaching, instruction, and curriculum development. A special educator's primary responsibility is to teach and interact with children who have a variety of disabilities. Special Education Teachers are well rewarded, and there are plenty of opportunities abroad as well. In India, the average monthly salary for a special educator is around INR 27,700.

Role and Responsibilities of a Special Educator

Special education teachers work with students who have a variety of special needs and impairments. Special education teachers are also involved in each student's intellectual, social, and behavioural development. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are created for each student with the assistance of special needs educators. The Individualized Education Program is intended to assist students in setting personal goals and is tailored to their talents and needs. Special education instructors meet with the child's parents, general education teachers, and school officials to discuss the IEP. They collaborate closely with parents to keep them updated on their child's progress and to make recommendations to help them improve their child's learning at home. An important responsibility of a special education teacher is to coordinate and communicate with other professionals who are concerned with the child's welfare, including parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, administrators, and other teachers.

Below is a list of roles and responsibilities for a special educator for your guidance:

• Create a teaching strategy based on an analysis of your students' strengths
• Adapt educational materials to students' needs
• Observe and consider your student's development
• Keep an eye on the behaviour patterns of the kids, and make any necessary plans for effective interventions
• Manage disputes and crises in the classroom
• Get students ready for the following grade level
• Inform parents of their children's development and any possible worries

Eligibility to become Special Educator

• For taking up Diploma in Special Education course, a pass in Class 12 with minimum qualifying percentage/ grade/ marks is mandatory

• For pursuing BEd course in Special Education, UG degree from any stream with minimum qualifying marks is mandatory

• Students can also take up certificate courses to get mastery over several techniques in special education. However, certificate courses are just to enhance knowledge and qualification

How to Become a Special Teacher?

Since the last decade, there has been a gradual increase in the demand for Special Educators. The following points will go over in detail the steps that must be taken in order to become a successful Special Educator.

Completion of class 12th in relevant/related subjects: Students must complete the basic education necessities in order to work as a special educator. It is a difficult job to be a special educator. Observing children's development in special education programmes necessitates patience. A high school diploma is necessary for a career as a special education teacher. Students must have a 50% aggregate in 10+2 in any subject from a recognised board.

Clear the Entrance Exams: Students who are interested in special educator programmes must pass entrance exams at a number of colleges and universities. Candidates must plan for and sit for entrance exams. Furthermore, there are a few other colleges and universities that consider applicants based on their 10+2 average grade point.

Successfully complete your Bachelor's Degree: After completing 10+2, students must submit an application to institutions to pursue a bachelor's degree in special education.

Pursue Post Bachelor’s Degree: After finalising a bachelor's degree programme, applicants must seek admission to a BEd (Bachelor of Education) programme in special education.

Pursue a Post-Undergraduate Level Degree: Candidates must enroll in an MEd (Master of Education) programme in a special education programme after successfully completing an undergraduate-level dual degree programme in special education.

Types of Job Roles Special Educator

Unlike other careers or professions, the job profiles for special educators are quite different. Special educators are engaged in schools that provide education students with special needs. However, the teachers are divided into various categories based on their qualification and experience. Some of the job profiles of special educators can be checked below.

• Special Educator for Early/ Pre-KG to Class 12: Special educators in this role work with children and youth who have a variety of disabilities. Teachers at this level instruct students at elementary, middle school and secondary school level. They work with children with mild to moderate disabilities.

• Special Educator for High-Incidence Disabilities: The responsibility of these teachers is to work with students suffering from high-incidence disabilities such as speech-language disorders, behavioural disorders and learning disabilities.

• Special Educator for Low-Incidence Disabilities/ Sensory Development: These teachers work with children/ students who have more significant physical needs or cognitive needs. These teachers focus on imparting basic literacy and functional skills for daily life.

• Special Educator for Emotional or Behavioural Disorders: Special educators who specialise in emotional or behavioural disorders work with children or students who exhibit a diverse range of characteristics including anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, depression, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorders etc.

• Special Educator for Autism Spectrum Disorders: These teachers work with children/ students identified on the autism spectrum that include disorders relating to communication delays, inability to relate to others and social situations etc.

• Special Educator in College/ University: These teachers teach students with special needs beyond school education.

Skills Required to be a Special Educator 

• Critical Thinking: A special education teacher is a professional who is in charge of evaluating students' progress. He or she develops a number of strategies to assist children with special needs in learning more effectively
• Patience: Patience is a necessary trait for a special education teacher. Individuals with special needs may take much longer to grasp and comprehend a subject than children without special needs. A special education teacher should be aware that students do not always respond immediately
• Communication Skills: A special education teacher must be a good communicator. He or she must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with parents, teachers, supervisors, and children
• Ability to Solve Problems: A special education teacher must be able to identify and address issues. He or she must be able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various alternatives. A special education teacher focuses on the development and learning of basic life skills. He or she develops and implements a variety of methods for communicating with students

Employment Sector/Industry for Special Educator

Special educators can get jobs in schools that work only with children with diverse disabilities. They can also get employment in inclusive schools that enrol children with special needs in their classrooms.

Special educators who mastered in several techniques of special education can get associated with consultants attached with schools or start their own therapy centres after acquiring necessary certifications.

Special educators can also work with physiotherapists, psychologists and speech therapists. Jobs for special educators are available in both government and private sector either with a group of students or on the individual basis. They can also find employment in rehabilitation centres.  

Top Recruiting Agencies for Special Educators

It is difficult to grade companies or agencies that recruit special educators. Special educators can find employment in: -

• Schools for Disabled Children

• Special Educator Teacher in B.Ed Colleges

• Rehabilitation Centres

• Hospitals that treat Children with Special Needs

• Consultancies that provide Special Education Trainers to Schools

Scope of a Special Educator 

In India, special educators have a wide range of opportunities. They can work as a Counsellor, Tutor, Content Writer, and so on with NGOs, Educational Institutes, Media Houses, and so on with an annual salary of INR 3,00,000 - INR 5,00,000. Candidates who have successfully completed their education in Special Education have many options for where to begin their career. Some candidates prefer working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as counsellors, or as primary or secondary school teachers or tutors in educational institutions, or as content writers for media outlets. Some prefer to pursue a master's degree, such as an MEd in special education from a reputable national or international institute.

Pay Scale/Salary of Special Educator

Unlike other professions, the starting salary that a special educator earns is very less. The salary of special educators can be checked below.

Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company.

Books & Study Material to Become Special Educator

Here is the list of some of the top special education books for enhancing your skills and knowledge in the field of special education: -

• A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine

• Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids by Chris Biffle

• The Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook by John M Harwell and Rebecca Williams Jackson

• Using Technology to Engage Students with Learning Disabilities by Billy Karkower and Sharon LePage Plante

• There’s a Boy in Here: Emerging from the Bonds of Autism by Judy Barron and Sean Barron

Pros of becoming a Special Educator

• The working hours are less in the field of special education than other fields.

• Special educators have more flexibility and freedom with regard to their work.

Cons of becoming a Special Educator

• The salary paid to special educators is less in India.

• There is less scope for promotion, upgrading to senior level posts etc.

Career path for Special Educator

One can enter into the field of special education after completing Class 12. Numerous colleges in India offer Diploma course in Special Education and B.Ed in Special Education.

Subjects Combination: There is not any specific subject combination required in Class 12 to become a special educator. Students from any stream in Class 12 are eligible to take up courses in special education.