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All new teachers should be cognizant of all of the special education terms and procedures, no matter what teaching position you are striving to obtain. The simple fact of the matter is that at some point, you will be faced with students that are on an I.E.P. for one reason or another. Children that suffer from ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or any other of the myriad special circumstances, will be in your class, and you must fully understand the Education Act, and all of the legislation regarding special needs inclusive classrooms.

Teachers must provide a safe and secure learning environment for each and every one of their students, and therefore they should be up to date with all of their training, and must be well versed in diverse learning styles. The face of the classroom is ever-evolving, and every new teacher should be prepared for all challenges.

It does not matter whether or not you are intending to teach in a Special education classroom, all new teachers should be current in their knowledge of special education terms and procedures. It is quite likely that at some point in your educational endeavours that you will be faced with teaching a child that has some form of special needs.

Knowing the difference between some terminology, such as modification and accommodation is essential. Teachers must know what is expected of all of their students, and when adaptations can and should be made for certain students. Special education involves any student that is following a curriculum slightly or vastly different than the rest of the student body. Gifted students fall into this same category, in that there curriculum needs to be modified, and certain allowances should be made for their heightened intelligence.

Learning disabled students require additional supports and time to complete assignments and daily seat-work, and often need a quiet place to work. New teachers need to familiarize themselves with all of the lingo and jargon specific to special education. At some point, a new teacher will come face to face with a student on an IEP, and will have to know what measures are to be taken to ensure success, and a fair playing ground.

Some of the key terminology a new teacher must differentiate between is modification and accommodation. An accommodation is anything that helps the special education student to complete a task, all the while adhering to the curriculum. A modification is a change in format or structure that compromises the integrity of the course credit. Modifying material is fine as long as the student is not seeking a credit for the course.

The spectrum of special education terms and procedures is quite wide, and all new teachers should be well-versed in all things special education prior to beginning their teaching careers. It is inevitable that a new teacher will have a child with special needs in their classroom at some point during their tenure.

Special education

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