How To Become an SEN Teacher in the UK
Special Educational Needs (SEN) teachers are very common in the UK. SEN teachers take care of students with dyslexia and autism. They also look after the children who struggle to learn in conventional schools and require special education.
So if you want to become an SEN teacher in the UK, there are certain job opportunities for you.
Responsibilities of an SEN Teacher
The responsibilities of an SEN teacher depends on SEN teacher training. There are numerous online courses for teaching assistants for SEN. They offer to teach assistant diplomas also. But according to the responsibilities, you have to choose your suitable course. I am listing down some of the responsibilities that might help you. An SEN teacher should-
- Teach national curriculum subjects
- Research and create innovative lessons
- Develop adaptive learning activities
- Add special equipment to enhance the learning environment
- Evaluate students’ development and provide feedback to guardians
- Encourage and guide students to overcome the struggle
- Communicate with parents and tell them their children’s progress
You can gain some of these qualities naturally. But many of them require special training. Online courses for teaching assistants can help you gain a better understanding to become an SEN teacher.
How About Salary?
Don’t you worry about salaries for an SEN teacher? A regular SEN teacher makes £30k per year. Whereas, an SEN coordinator earns more than £45k per annum. So what you need is a teaching assistant certification to get an SEN teacher job.
How to Become an SEN Teacher
If you follow the next steps I am going to describe, there is a high chance to get an SEN job. There are four ways you can go through to become an SEN teacher. They are-
- By doing a university course
- From an apprenticeship
- By working towards this role
- By applying directly
A university course:
An undergraduate degree can lead you to a qualified teacher status (QTS). Your bachelor in Education, Arts, Science with QTS (BEd, BA, BSc) may help you in this regard.
If you are a first-degree holder without QTS, completing a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) is enough. You can choose any of the sections and still become an SEN teacher. Also, a complementary diploma is always helpful if you do not have a degree.
Internship opportunities:
You can join as an Intern under a qualified SEN teacher and work under his/her supervision. It will undoubtedly increase your technical skills and teaching ability in the future. Search for SEN teachers in your city and apply to them.
Doing an online course for teaching assistants might give you extra buttress.
Volunteering:
You can work as a volunteer in an SEN teaching program and gain experience first. Additionally, doing a teaching assistant diploma might give you an extra boost.
Direct Apply:
If you believe, you have all the qualifications and experience to apply for an SEN teachership. You should apply directly to an SEN School or an ongoing program.
SEN Mastery Skills:
Communication skills:
The foremost requirement of becoming an SEN teacher. Unless you can communicate with your students effectively, you can not become an SEN teacher.
Team-Work Mentality:
You will be the only adult person in the class. So where is this teamwork? Well, a good SEN teacher takes the class as a team and works for the betterment of students. This is a necessary skill.
Adaptability Skills:
One thing that you have to keep in mind that students have different problems. Every student has a different problem, and you have to be flexible enough to give everyone a chance.
Empathy:
SEN demands that you understand your student’s problems as they are your problem. Then you can solve that problem with affection and love. They are your students who are struggling to learn, not thugs.
Anger Management:
Your students are kids. They might have autism or behavioural problems that could enrage you. But you are not in that school for enraging. Teach them the good things and control your anger. It always helps.
To sum up, All I can say is that SEN teachers are doing great community service for the sake of children. Their demand is rising in the UK region. If you want to become an SEN teacher in the UK, consider doing an online teaching assistant certification course.
