Occupation

Special Education Teachers, Preschool

Human Advantage 83%

Strongly human-essential role

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.9 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

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: Autistic Teacher, Behavior Interventionist, Behavioral Interventionist, Blind Teacher, Braille Teacher, Deaf Education Teacher, Deaf Teacher, ED Teacher (Emotional Disabilities Teacher) +41 more

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Core Tasks

  1. Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
  2. Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
  3. Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
  4. Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
  5. Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
  6. Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
  7. Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
  8. Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
  9. Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  10. Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
  11. Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential.
  12. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  13. Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers.
  14. Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
  15. Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.
  16. Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
  17. 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.
  18. Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems.
  19. Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
  20. Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students, parents, or guardians.
  21. Modify the general preschool curriculum for students with disabilities.
  22. Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
  23. Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.
  24. Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements.
  25. Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
  26. Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
  27. Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
  28. Arrange indoor or outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, or safety.
  29. Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.
  30. Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, television, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies.
  31. Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise preschool programs.
  32. Plan and supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, or demonstrations.
  33. Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.
  34. Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies.

Supplemental Tasks (2)

  1. Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
  2. Serve meals or snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.

Education & Training

Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education: 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: 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.
On-the-Job Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Bachelor's Degree
32%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.
32%
Master's Degree
24%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.
8%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
3%
Some College Courses
1%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word

Software (13)

  • American Sign Language Browser
  • Children's educational software
  • Drawing software
  • Email software
  • Screen magnification software
  • Screen reader software
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (44)

  • 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
  • Eye gaze communication boards
  • Head operated joysticks
  • Hearing aid devices
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Jellybean switches
  • Laminating equipment
  • Laptop computers
  • Motorized scooters
  • Mouth operated joysticks
  • Overhead data projectors
  • Page turners
  • Pegboards
  • Personal computers
  • Photocopying equipment
  • Play structures
  • Pointing devices
  • Reading pens
  • Sand tables
  • Science activity kits
  • Sound switches
  • Stabilizers
  • Standing aids
  • Toy block sets
  • Track balls
  • Video cassette recorders VCR
  • Walkers
  • Water tables
  • Wheelchairs
  • Wireless touch screen monitors

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Teaching, Training, & Facilitation Education

Zone 5
Special Education Teachers, Preschool You are here

Learner Support & Community Engagement Education

Zone 3
Zone 5
Special Education Teachers, Preschool You are here

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