Special educational needs itinerant teacher

Description

Special educational needs itinerant teachers instruct disabled or sick children in their homes. They are specialised teachers employed by (public) schools to teach those unable to physically attend school, but also to assist the student, the parents and the school in their communication. They also fulfill the function of a social school worker by helping the students and parents with a student’s potential behavioral issues and enforcing, if necessary, school attendance regulations. In case of a possible physical (re)admission to school, visiting teachers advise the school regarding suitable classroom guidance strategies and advisable teaching methods to support the student and make the transition as agreeable as possible.

Excludes government minister.
Excludes people performing religious duties and traveling to people’s homes.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to special educational needs itinerant teacher:

special needs peripatetic teacher
special educational needs peripatetic teacher
SEN visiting teacher
visiting teacher for special needs
special educational needs visiting teacher
SEN itinerant teacher
SEN peripatetic teacher

Minimum qualifications

A bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as special educational needs itinerant teacher.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Special educational needs itinerant teacher is a Skill level 4 occupation.

Special educational needs itinerant teacher career path

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These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to special educational needs itinerant teacher.

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Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of special educational needs itinerant teacher.

  • Assessment processes: 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 used for varying purposes.
  • Behavioural disorders: 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).
  • Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of special educational needs itinerant teacher.

  • Guarantee students’ safety: Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
  • Monitor student’s behaviour: Supervise the student’s social behaviour to discover anything unusual. Help solve any issues if necessary.
  • Prepare lesson content: Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
  • Observe student’s progress: Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.
  • Liaise with educational support staff: 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 relating the students’ well-being.
  • Show consideration for student’s situation: Take students’ personal backgrounds into consideration when teaching, showing empathy and respect.
  • Adapt teaching to student’s capabilities: Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.
  • Apply teaching strategies: 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 a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
  • Assess students: 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 the goals the student achieved.
  • Assist students with equipment: Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.
  • Demonstrate when teaching: Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
  • Communicate with youth: Use verbal and non-verbal communication and communicate through writing, electronic means, or drawing. Adapt your communication to children and young people`s age, needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, and culture.
  • Give constructive feedback: 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 work.
  • Advise on classroom guidance strategies: Recommend teaching methods and physical classroom alterations to a special needs student’s educational staff to support the student and facilitate transition.
  • Provide lesson materials: Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
  • Assist students in their learning: Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
  • Apply intercultural teaching strategies: Ensure that the content, methods, materials and general learning experience are inclusive for all students and take into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.
  • Liaise with educational staff: Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students’ well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of special educational needs itinerant teacher. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Education law: The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.
  • Learning difficulties: The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
  • Primary school procedures: The inner workings of a primary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.
  • Special needs education: The teaching methods, equipment and settings used to support students with special needs in achieving succes in school or community.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of special educational needs itinerant teacher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Cooperate with education professionals: Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.
  • Provide social counselling: Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.
  • Assist in the organisation of school events: Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school’s open house day, a sports game or a talent show.
  • Consult student’s support system: Communicate with multiple parties, including teachers and the family of the student, to discuss the student’s behaviour or academic performance.
  • Assist students with their enrolment: Help the accepted students with the enrolment in a certain programme. Prepare legal documents and support the students as they settle in.
  • Provide specialised instruction for special needs students: 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 teenagers using specific methods such as concentration exercises, role-plays, movement training, and painting.
  • Teach primary education class content: Instruct primary school students in the theory and practice of a variety of subjects, such as mathematics, languages, and nature studies, building the course content based on students’ existing knowledge and encouraging them to deepen their understanding on the subjects they’re interested in.
  • Arrange parent teacher conference: Set up joined and individual meetings with students’ parents to discuss their child’s academic progress and general well-being.
  • Teach secondary education class content: Instruct students in the theory and practice of the secondary school course of your specialisation, taking into account the age of the students and modern teaching methods.
  • Provide teacher support: Assist teachers in classroom instruction by providing and preparing lesson materials, monitoring the students during their work and helping them in their learning where necessary.
  • Listen actively: Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.
  • Keep records of attendance: Keep track of the pupils who are absent by recording their names on a list of absentees.
  • Counsel clients: Assist and guide clients to overcome their personal, social, or psychological issues.
  • Assist children with special needs in education settings: Assist children with special needs, identifying their needs, modifying classroom equipment to accommodate them and helping them participate in school activities.
  • Secondary school procedures: The inner workings of a secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.

ISCO group and title

2352 – Special needs teachers


References
  1. Special educational needs itinerant teacher – ESCO
Last updated on October 30, 2024

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