Job Guide

To become a special education teacher you usually have to study education at university, specialising in special education. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English and mathematics are normally required. A number of universities in Australia offer degrees in education with a specialisation in special education. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Alternatively, you can undertake a graduate diploma of education, specialising in special education, after completing a degree in teaching or other relevant areas such as arts, social work or disability studies. Entry to postgraduate courses usually requires a relevant bachelor degree as well as teaching experience or experience working with people with special needs.

Additional Information:

In order to be employed as a school teacher in NSW, you must meet the NSW Institute of Teachers' accreditation requirements and pay the institute an annual fee. Teaching in government schools in NSW and the ACT requires registration with the Department of Education and Training in that state/territory. Contact the relevant department for further information.

Practical placements are usually required in education courses. To work in schools in NSW, you must sign a Prohibited Employment Declaration and obtain a Working with Children Check, issued by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People. In the ACT, the Children and Young People Commissioner is in the process of introducing safety checks for people who work with children. A police clearance is required before commencing the practical components of teaching courses.

Teachers are required by mandatory reporting laws to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.