Skills
Special Education Teacher Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in special education teachers, and how to build and show them.
Special Education Teachers need technical skills such as iep development, special education law (idea), and differentiated instruction, plus people skills like patience and empathy. They also use tools such as IEP management software and Assistive technology.
Technical (hard) skills
- IEP development
- Special education law (IDEA)
- Differentiated instruction
- Behavior intervention
- Progress monitoring
- Assistive technology
People (soft) skills
- Patience
- Empathy
- Collaboration
- Persistence
Tools, equipment and technology
- IEP management software
- Assistive technology
- Intervention programs
- Data tracking tools
- Visual schedules
- Sensory tools
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how special education teachers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “IEP development” and “Special education law (IDEA).”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “patience,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State special education license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our special education teacher glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Special Education Teacher training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.