Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
From people doing the work
Being a special education teaching assistant is very worthwhile. Every day brings new challenges and triumphs as you work closely with students to help them achieve their goals. It requires a lot of patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of individual needs. Seeing a student make progress, no matter how small, or finally grasp a concept you've been working on, is worthwhile. The collaboration with teachers and other specialists is key, and being part of a team that's making a real difference in a child's life makes it all worthwhile. It's a lot about patience, understanding, and finding new ways to connect with each student.
Drawn from Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET), r/SpecialEd, Special Education Today, Understood.org
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET), r/SpecialEd, Special Education Today
A day in the life of Teaching Assistants, Special Education
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 85% Team / 15% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Occasional
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- Moderate
Teaching Assistants, Special Education salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $48,400
- Entry-level
- $34,000
- Senior
- $73,000
- Growth by 2033
- +1.5%
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- 115%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Hard skills
- Psychology
- Complex Problem Solving
- Education and Training
Soft skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
Technical complexity: Low
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) Software (Software): To manage and track individualized education plans for students with special needs.
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) (Framework): A communication system using pictures to help non-verbal students express their needs and wants.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Techniques (Framework): To implement behavioral interventions and teaching strategies for students with autism and other developmental disorders.
Commonly used
- Assistive Technology Devices (Hardware): Various devices like communication boards, specialized keyboards, or text-to-speech software to aid learning.
- Google Classroom (Platform): For organizing assignments, communicating with students and parents, and facilitating remote learning.
- Data Tracking and Progress Monitoring Software (Software): To record and analyze student progress on IEP goals and objectives.
Specialist tools
- Sensory Tools (e.g., fidgets, weighted blankets) (Hardware): To help students regulate their emotions and focus in the classroom environment.
How to become Teaching Assistants, Special Education
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- Yes
- Years to mid-career
- 5-8
- Years to senior
- 15-25
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Paraprofessional: Often individuals start as paraprofessionals, gaining experience in supporting students with special needs before becoming teaching assistants.
- Child Care Worker: Experience in child care can provide a foundation for understanding child development and behavior, which is beneficial for special education teaching assistants.
- Behavioral Technician: Professionals focused on implementing behavior intervention plans often transition to special education roles.
Where you can go from here
- Special Education Teacher: With further education and certification, teaching assistants can advance to become fully certified special education teachers.
- Occupational Therapy Assistant: Some teaching assistants pursue further training to become occupational therapy assistants, focusing on helping students develop skills for daily living.
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistant: Teaching assistants with an interest in communication disorders may transition to roles as speech-language pathology assistants.
Typical progression
- Teaching Assistants, Special Education
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- or Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
Teaching Assistants, Special Education job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Moderate
- AI disruption risk
- Moderate
- Demand trend
- Stable
Job satisfaction as Teaching Assistants, Special Education
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.2/10
- Meaning
- 8.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 7.5/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): A professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities.
- National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET): Provides professional development and resources for special education teachers and professionals.
Podcasts and media
- Special Education Today: A podcast offering insights and discussions on current topics in special education.
Reddit communities
- r/SpecialEd: An online community for special education professionals, parents, and students to share experiences and advice.
Online communities
- Understood.org: An online resource and community for parents of children with learning and thinking differences.