Special Needs Teachers teach academic and living skills to primary, middle, or intermediate, and secondary school students with particular learning difficulties using various techniques, and promotes students’ social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Skill Level

1

Specialisations

• Behaviour Support Teacher
• Remedial Teacher
• Teacher of Gifted Students

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Special Needs Teacher is Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• Applications are assessed against two criteria: Qualifications AND English Language Proficiency. The applicant must meet both requirements to obtain a positive skills assessment
• Qualifications
  • Successful completion of a minimum of four years full time or part time equivalent higher education level of study. It can also include other qualifications
    • This must include a relevant initial teacher education qualification that is an Australian Bachelor Degree – AQF level 7 or higher
      • 1-year full time university level study of Secondary School Teacher; and
      • Completion of at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students from 13 to 18 years of age in a secondary school setting
    • Other higher education qualifications must be comparable to AQF level 6 or higher
• Special Education Study Requirement
  • Study must include one-year full time or part time equivalent of special needs resulting in a qualification comparable to Australia Bachelor Degree or higher
  • If the study is the component of the initial teacher education qualification
    • The supervised teaching practice must be completed in a special needs setting
• English Language Proficiency
  • Completion of four years of study comparable to an Australian Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) in higher education in either of the following countries:
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Republic of Ireland
    • New Zealand
    • United Kingdom
    • United States of America
      OR
  • Completion of an English language test – IETLS
    • Score of at least 7.0 in reading and writing
    • Score of at least 8.0 in speaking and listening

Important

It is important to note that AITSL do not accept any other form of English language test except for IETLS.

Teach primary, middle or intermediate, and secondary school students with learning difficulties, hearing impairment and sight impairment, and promote students’ social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Tasks

• Assessing students’ abilities and limitations with regard to intellectual, physical, social and emotional disabilities, exceptional intellectual gifts, or specific problems of language and culture
• Planning, organising and implementing special programs to provide remedial or advanced tuition
• Administering various forms of assessment and interpreting the results
• Teaching basic academic subjects, and practical and self-help skills to hearing and sight impaired students
• Devising instructional materials, methods and aids to assist in training and rehabilitation
• Advising, instructing and counselling parents and teachers on the availability and use of special techniques
• Stimulating and developing interests, abilities, manual skills and coordination
• Conferring with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons for special needs students
• Preparing and maintaining student data and other records and submitting reports

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing is required.

Occupations in this Group

• 241511 Special Needs Teacher
• 241512 Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
• 241513 Teacher of the Sight Impaired
• 241599 Special Education Teachers nec