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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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Supervise school or student activities.
Assist other educational professionals with projects or research.
Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
Clean facilities or work areas.
Maintain clean work areas.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Distribute instructional or library materials.
Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
Evaluate student work.
Maintain student records.
Monitor student performance.
Teach others to use technology or equipment.
Teach life skills.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Maintain computer equipment or software.
Monitor student performance.
Maintain student records.
Display student work.
Plan educational activities.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Develop instructional materials.
Document lesson plans.
Lead classes or community events.
Assist students with special educational needs.
Assist students with special educational needs.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Supervise school or student activities.
Maintain student records.
Teach life skills.
Tutor students who need extra assistance.
Create technology-based learning materials.

Tasks

Provide assistance to students with special needs.
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.
Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.
Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.
Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
Clean classrooms.
Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.
Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.
Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.
Assist in bus loading and unloading.
Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use.
Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.
Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.
Assist librarians in school libraries.
Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.
Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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