Who is a special needs teacher and what do they do? The task of the special needs teacher is the education of children with various learning difficulties- arising from physical, sensory, mental, health, or behavioural problems. He/she can work either as a teacher for such children or in advice centres for their parents, in medical facilities, or rehabilitation centres whose task is to bring these children back to normal life, or in the field of scientific research into the education of people with special needs or learning difficulties. Such children may also have physical disabilities as well, or which have caused the learning difficulty or contributed to it, and may have behavioural problems as well. There is considerable overlap between this area and work with the physically disabled, although the latter may not have any learning difficulties or behavioural problems at all.
What are the activities of the special needs teacher job? The special needs teacher can specialise in certain areas according to the type of special need. These areas include especially the education of people with learning difficulties, , with speech impediments: they may also be involved in integrating children with special needs into mainstream schools. Other activities can include teaching children with specific difficulties in numeracy, reading (dyslexia) and writing. If working as a teacher, the main tasks of the special needs teacher include activities similar to those carried out by every other teacher as well as activities resulting from the fact that the teaching is intended for children with special problems, which means adapting normal educational methods in accordance with the kind of special need, and using some special methods.
Where is it done and under what conditions? In classrooms, school laboratories and other school facilities, in offices or similar rooms – there is usually no particular problem with the work environment.
What tools/equipment do they use? Teaching aids of all kinds depending on the subject of the teaching, writing and drawing supplies, multimedia computer technology, video and audio equipment, and, above all, the spoken word.
What do you need to succeed? You need to have graduated in special education at a teacher training college specialising in this area of work, have a gift for teaching, ability to exercise authority, positive attitudes to children and young people, the ability to use words fluently, a good memory, the ability to improvise, organisational ability, and a cultivated appearance and manners.