Special Education Assistant job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Teaching Assistants, Special Education

O*NET-SOC 25-9043.00

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Data Government data groups this job as Teaching Assistants, Special Education (O*NET-SOC 25-9043.00). O*NET 31.0 gives “Special Education Assistant” as the alternate name inside its title “SPED Assistant (Special Education Assistant)” for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET job-incumbent data and the U.S. Employment and Training Administration). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Provide assistance to students with special needs. importance 4.5 of 5
2. Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. importance 4.5 of 5
3. Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips. importance 4.4 of 5
4. Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. importance 4.2 of 5
5. Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists. importance 4.1 of 5
6. Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers. importance 4.1 of 5
7. Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory. importance 4.0 of 5
8. Enforce administration policies and rules governing students. importance 4.0 of 5
9. Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage. importance 4.0 of 5
11. Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud. importance 3.9 of 5
12. Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts. importance 3.9 of 5
13. Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation. importance 3.8 of 5
14. Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. importance 3.8 of 5
15. Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students. importance 3.7 of 5
16. Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development. importance 3.6 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Getting Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships and Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.
• Assist in bus loading and unloading.
• Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
• Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use.
• Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.
• Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.

Knowledge areas: English Language and Psychology.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Appletree. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

Job title: Special Education Assistant
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Special Education Assistant to assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Provide assistance to students with special needs.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
- Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.

What we are looking for
- [Education this role truly needs]
- Strength in active listening, social perceptiveness and speaking
- Working knowledge of English Language and Psychology
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Office software or Microsoft Excel]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

• Read a real special education assistant posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Provide assistance to students with special needs”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only special education assistant work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (active listening and social perceptiveness): a real situation, what you did and what changed.