Early Years Special Educational Needs Teacher Teaching Professionals
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Early years special educational needs teachers provide specially-designed instruction to students with a variety of disabilities on a kindergarten level and ensure they reach their learning potential. Some early years special educational needs teachers work with children who have mild to moderate disabilities, implementing a modified curriculum to fit each student's specific needs. Other early years special educational needs teachers assist and instruct students with intellectual disabilities and autism, focusing on teaching them basic literacy and life skills. All teachers assess the students' progress, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses, and communicate their findings to parents, counselors, administrators and other parties involved.
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Where Do I Start?
Special Needs Education
The teaching methods, equipment and settings used to support students with special needs in achieving succes in school or community.
Sign up to trackReady to go deeper? Pick up to 3 skills to focus on from the list below.
These are common skills for this role. Real-world experience matters more than ticking every box — use this as a guide, not a checklist.
Skills You Need to Become an Early Years Special Educational Needs Teacher
Essential Skills
Essential Skills
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EssentialSpecial Needs Education knowledge
The teaching methods, equipment and settings used to support students with special needs in achieving succes in school or community.
Recommended Books
4 books -
EssentialLearning Needs Analysis knowledge
The process of analysing a student's learning needs through observation and testing, potentially followed by the diagnosis of a learning disorder and a plan for additional support.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialDisability Care knowledge
The specific methods and practices used in providing care to people with physical, intellectual and learning disabilities.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialLearning Difficulties knowledge
The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialCurriculum Objectives knowledge
The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.
Recommended Books
2 books -
EssentialChildren's Physical Development knowledge
Recognise and describe the development, observing the following criteria: weight, length, and head size, nutritional requirements, renal function, hormonal influences on development, response to stress, and infection.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialKindergarten School Procedures knowledge
The inner workings of a kindergarten, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, policies, and regulations.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialDisability Types knowledge
The nature and types of disabilities affecting the human beings such as physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental and the specific needs and access requirements of disabled people.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialAdapt Teaching To Student's Capabilities skill
Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students' individual learning needs and goals.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Intercultural Teaching Strategies skill
Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Teaching Strategies skill
Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAssess The Development Of Youth skill
Evaluate the different aspects of development needs of children and young people.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAssist In Children's Development Of Basic Personal Skills skill
Encourage and facilitate the development of children's natural curiosity and social and language abilities through creative and social activities such as storytelling, imaginative play, songs, drawing, and games.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAssist Students In Their Learning skill
Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAssist Students With Equipment skill
Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialAttend To Children's Basic Physical Needs skill
Tend to children by feeding them, dressing them, and, if necessary, regularly changing their diapers in a sanitary manner.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialDemonstrate When Teaching skill
Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialEncourage Students To Acknowledge Their Achievements skill
Stimulate students to appreciate their own achievements and actions to nurture confidence and educational growth.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialGive Constructive Feedback skill
Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialGuarantee Students' Safety skill
Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person's supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialImplement Care Programmes For Children skill
Perform activities with children according to their physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs by using appropriate tools and equipment that facilitate interaction and learning activities.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMaintain Relations With Children's Parents skill
Inform children`s parents of the activities planned, program`s expectations and children`s individual progress.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialMaintain Students' Discipline skill
Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialManage Children's Problems skill
Promote the prevention, early detection, and management of children`s problems, focusing on developmental delays and disorders, behavioural problems, functional disabilities, social stresses, mental disorders including depression, and anxiety disorders.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialManage Student Relationships skill
Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialObserve Student's Progress skill
Follow up on students' learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPerform Classroom Management skill
Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPrepare Lesson Content skill
Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialSupport Children's Wellbeing skill
Provide an environment that supports and values children and helps them to manage their own feelings and relationships with others.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialSupport The Positiveness Of Youths skill
Help children and young people to assess their social, emotional and identity needs and to develop a positive self image, enhance their self esteem and improve their self reliance.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialProvide Specialised Instruction For Special Needs Students skill
Instruct students in need of specialised attention, often in small groups, catering to their individual needs, disorders, and disabilities. Promote the psychological, social, creative or physical development of children and …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialTeach Kindergarten Class Content skill
Instruct pre-primary students in basic learning principles, in preparation for future formal learning. Teach them the principles of certain basic subjects such as number, letter, and colour recognition, days of …
Course recommendations coming soon.
Optional Skills (5 of {{ profession.optional_skills|length }} displayed)
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OptionalCommunication Disorders knowledge
The malfunction in a person's ability to comprehend, process and share concepts in various forms, such as verbal, non verbal or graphical during language, hearing, and speech communication processes.
Recommended Books
2 book{{ skill.books|length|pluralize }} -
OptionalBehavioural Disorders knowledge
The often emotionally disruptive types of behaviour a child or adult can show, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
Recommended Books
1 book{{ skill.books|length|pluralize }} -
OptionalWorkplace Sanitation knowledge
The importance of a clean, sanitary workspace for example through use of hand disinfectant and sanitizer, in order to minimise infection risk between colleagues or when working with children.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalFirst Aid knowledge
The emergency treatment given to a sick or injured person in the case of circulatory and/or respiratory failure, unconsciousness, wounds, bleeding, shock or poisoning.
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OptionalCommon Children's Diseases knowledge
The symptoms, characteristics, and treatment of diseases and disorders that often affect children, such as the measles, chickenpox, asthma, the mumps, and head lice.
Recommended Books
1 book{{ skill.books|length|pluralize }} -
OptionalDevelopment Delays knowledge
The condition in which a child or adult needs more time to reach certain development milestones than that needed by the average person not affected by a development delay.
Recommended Books
1 book{{ skill.books|length|pluralize }} -
OptionalMobility Disability knowledge
Impairment of the ability to physically move naturally.
Recommended Books
1 book{{ skill.books|length|pluralize }} -
OptionalAssessment Processes knowledge
Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are …
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalHearing Disability knowledge
Impairment of the ability to discern and process sounds naturally.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalVisual Disability knowledge
Impairment of the ability to naturally discern and process viewed images.
No book recommendations available yet.
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OptionalAdvise On Lesson Plans skill
Analyse policy issues which impact on students' experience of education. Advise on the ways in which lesson plans for specific lessons can be improved in order to reach education goals, …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalAssess Students skill
Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalConsult Students On Learning Content skill
Take students' opinions and preferences into consideration when determining learning content.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalEscort Students On A Field Trip skill
Accompany students on an educational trip outside the school environment and ensure their safety and cooperation.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalFacilitate Teamwork Between Students skill
Encourage students to cooperate with others in their learning by working in teams, for example through group activities.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalLiaise With Educational Support Staff skill
Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalManage Resources For Educational Purposes skill
Identify the necessary resources needed for learning purposes, such as materials in class or arranged transportation for a field trip. Apply for the corresponding budget and follow up on the …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalOrganise Creative Performance skill
Organise an event in which participants can express their creativity, such as putting on a dance, theatre, or talent show.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPerform Playground Surveillance skill
Observe students' recreational activities to ensure student safety and well-being and intervene when necessary.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPromote The Safeguarding Of Young People skill
Understand safeguarding and what should be done in cases of actual or potential harm or abuse.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalProvide Lesson Materials skill
Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalTeach Digital Literacy skill
Instruct students in the theory and practice of (basic) digital and computer competency, such as typing efficiently, working with basic online technologies, and checking email. This also includes coaching students …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalWork With Virtual Learning Environments skill
Incorporate the use of online learning environments and platforms into the process of instruction.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalFacilitate Motor Skill Activities skill
Organise activities that stimulate children's motor skills, especially the more challenged children in a special education context.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalStimulate Students' Independence skill
Encourage students with special needs to perform tasks independently, without the help from a caregiver and teach them personal independence skills.
Course recommendations coming soon.