Learning Support Teacher

Also known as:

SEN Teacher
Teacher, Special Educational Needs

Introduction

Learning support teachers work with children who have physical, hearing or visual impairments, or emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties. They may use special equipment and teaching methods, such as sign language or Braille.

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Work Activities

Learning support teachers help young people to cope with and overcome problems that arise because of sensory impairments, limited physical mobility, or behavioural, emotional or learning difficulties. They encourage students to develop self-confidence and independence, and to reach their potential.

This means that teachers need to adapt conventional teaching methods to meet individual needs. Teachers may also use audio-visual materials and computers to stimulate interest and learning.

Some students with learning difficulties may need only temporary help to catch up on ordinary schoolwork.

Students with emotional or behavioural problems may need help in expressing their emotions constructively; a process that may need short-term or long-term help from a specialist teacher.

Students with permanent/long-term disabilities may need to learn special skills so they can live as full a life as possible. This may require specialist equipment and techniques. Teachers may teach Braille to students with visual impairments or sign language and lip reading to students who have hearing impairments.

Severely disabled students may have to be taught basic social skills such as washing, dressing or feeding themselves.

Many students with special educational needs are taught in mainstream schools alongside other students. In mainstream schools, special educational needs students may be taught in a learning support department, a special unit attached to the school, or in ordinary lessons with the help of a special needs assistant or support teacher. Students are normally taught in small groups or individually.

There are special schools for students whose needs are too severe or complex for mainstream schools to meet. Some teachers visit students in a number of schools and/or at home. Other teachers work in hospitals or private residential schools. Teachers work closely with parents and guardians, offering advice and guidance. They also attend meetings with other teachers and medical specialists. There are administrative duties as well, such as keeping detailed records of students' progress.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Teaching young people with additional support needs can be physically and emotionally demanding, and requires a mature personality.

As a teacher, you need to be creative, friendly, caring, optimistic and adaptable. Good communication skills, tact and patience are important, so you can establish a good working relationship with your students. However, not all students will respond positively so you will need to use discipline to maintain order.

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Pay and Opportunities

Teachers in Scotland are paid on a national scale. The starting annual salary for a probationer teacher in 2007 will be £19,878. The top of the scale for unpromoted teachers will be £31,707. There is an additional allowance if you teach in a remote area.

A chartered teacher will earn up to £38,868 and a head teacher will earn £39,207 - £76,527 depending on the size of the school.

In the private sector, salaries are similar or higher, though they are sometimes linked to state sector pay scales.

Teachers normally work a 35 hour week. However, most teachers work extra hours: marking work, preparing lessons and so on. In Scotland, a maximum class contact time of 22.5 hours per week is being phased in.

There are opportunities throughout the UK in both the state and private education sectors. There may also be opportunities to teach overseas.

Vacancies are advertised on local authority vacancy sheets and websites and in the local and national press; The Scotsman, The Herald, The Guardian, The Times Educational Supplement Scotland and The Teacher.

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Adult Opportunities

It is now illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Only qualified teachers - normally with at least two years' experience - can teach children with special educational needs. In-service training by local authorities is available.

Relevant work experience is frequently expected, either within a school as a volunteer teaching assistant or equivalent work with children or young people.

There are a number of training options:

If you don't have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree course, a college or university Access course (eg, Access to Teaching) could be the way in.

These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

They can lead to relevant degree courses.

• 28% of special educational needs teachers work part-time.
• 3% have flexible hours.
• 11% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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