Aspiring special education teachers often pursue a master’s degree in special education to expand their skill sets and make a difference in the lives of students with disabilities. However, this only scratches the surface of what can be done with this prestigious degree. Graduates of The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education program join a growing field of advocates, behavior intervention specialists, and educational diagnosticians. An MA in special education can also be a stepping stone to a career as a school counselor, instructional coordinator, or principal. No matter what you do with your master’s degree, you’ll be making real change in an in-demand field.
As we discuss why you should get a master’s in special education, consider how your life and the lives of your students can benefit from the lessons taught in UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program. Whether you’re interested in starting a career in special education or want to advance in your current position, an MA in special education can help you achieve your goals.
Students in special education classes are affected by a wide variety of disabilities, including learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to address each student’s unique needs, special education professionals must provide high-quality, individualized education. This flexible, tailored approach is a crucial part of overcoming the achievement gaps that cause vulnerable students to fall behind their nondisabled peers.
By the end of UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program, you’ll be able to identify the specific characteristics of developmental disorders and intervene at a crucial time in a student’s education. Our course Programs and Practices for Exceptional Learners will instruct you on the unique needs of students with cognitive-behavioral needs, while program courses like Behavioral Management and Social Skills, Methods for Teaching Exceptional Learners, and Technology and School Change will teach you how to address a variety of other special needs.
With your help, students can go on to have improved academic outcomes that would otherwise be unobtainable. This is one of the chief motivating factors for students pursuing a master’s in special education: to help students who are unable to help themselves.
In addition to the life-altering services you’ll provide to students, there are the everyday benefits of having an MA in special education to think about. For example, a typical day in the life of a special education teacher entails:
Every day is spent building relationships with students and fellow teachers and watching students grow and overcome challenges that seemed impossible the day before. If you’d like to transition into a rewarding teaching position, an MA in special education can help you achieve this goal.
Many students who enter our online MA in special education program already have established careers in special education, whereas others have yet to take their first steps into this rewarding field. Graduates of our program, no matter their motivation, are entering a field where their in-demand skills are rewarded with high salaries.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), special education teachers earn annual salaries of about $61,000—as much if not more than kindergarten, middle school, and high school teachers—while still enjoying summer and winter break. Special education teachers in the highest 10% earned nearly $100,000 a year, and this is only one possible career path for professionals with an MA in special education.
Educational diagnosticians, also known as learning consultants, work with a multidisciplinary team to diagnose learning disabilities. Remember, early diagnoses are critical for closing achievement gaps and helping students with disabilities realize their academic potential. Once a student’s development and abilities have been assessed, educational diagnosticians take on the role of case manager and work with special education teachers to monitor their progress and ensure proper implementation of educational processes. According to PayScale, educational diagnosticians earn annual salaries of about $60,000, with top earners making over $70,000 per year.
Graduates of UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education can also transition into a supervisory or administrative role if desired. Although this role has less one-on-one interaction with students, special education administrators are able to enact lasting change on a larger scale. Special education directors, for example, oversee special education programs, providing assistance to principals, teachers, and students. These professionals must possess extensive knowledge of special education programs, best practices, and laws—all topics covered in our online MA in special education program. As administrators, special education directors make an average annual salary of $104,000. If you’re interested in setting the standards for special education programs, this may be the career for you.
Why get a master’s in special education? You can expand your teaching skills, improve your employability, and advance your career in a program tailored to your needs. Our online MA in special education program is 100% online, so you can continue your education while attending to personal and professional responsibilities. A master’s degree can be earned in as little as 12 months; however, our program’s flexible 8-week courses allow you to complete the program at your own pace. This convenient online program is also affordable, with a total tuition cost of about $12,000. Financial aid is also available for those who qualify, and qualified applicants in certain programs may qualify for the TEACH Grant.
If you’re interested in a degree that will benefit not only you but the students under your care, enroll in UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm#tab-5
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Educational_Diagnostician/Salary
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/director-of-special-education-salary
Every teacher has their own tried-and-true methods for managing a classroom. Common strategies include commending a student’s good behavior in front of their classmates or speaking to a disruptive student in private. Spoken praise or a stern warning can go a long way towards communicating with students of any age, but how do you connect with students who have mental or physical limitations inhibiting their ability to communicate?
Nonverbal cues are used to communicate with and ultimately educate students with disabilities. Although the classroom cues discussed throughout this article can be helpful for communicating with students of any age, grade level, or academic ability, they are most often used to reach students with disabilities, allowing these students to engage with teachers and peers in a way that would otherwise be out of reach due to cognitive, hearing, speech, or other impairments.
Nonverbal communication is symbolic. It allows teachers to convey entire concepts with a single gesture, and these simplified cues are easily understood by students with disabilities. When a teacher raises their hand, it can tell students that now is the time to remain silent and pay attention—all without a single word passing between them. A student may use cues, such as sign language, to quietly request a bathroom break or communicate with a fellow student without disrupting the class. Nonverbal cues bridge the gap between students with disabilities and the world around them.
The benefits of using nonverbal communication are explored in a review article published in the Journal of Advances in Medical Education and Professionalism in 2017. This article revealed that students’ academic progress improved with increased use of verbal and nonverbal communication by their teachers and that nonverbal communication had a “positive and profound effect on the students’ mood.” By incorporating classroom cues into their lessons, teachers can not only boost classroom productivity but also make a positive change in the lives of students with developmental disabilities.
If you’re a teacher, you already use nonverbal cues in the classroom. Eye contact, facial expressions, and posture are types of nonverbal cues that students pick up on whether you intend them to or not. However, there are nonverbal cues you can use intentionally to tip the scales in your favor. What are visual cues in education? Here are some common nonverbal cues you can use in your classroom.
With practice, a hand gesture can be all it takes to get students to quiet down, line up, or pay attention. For example, when you raise your hand for attention and several of your students raise their hands in response, the rest will quickly follow suit. You can even turn nonverbal communication into a game by rewarding students if they are able to remain productive for a certain amount of time.
Many special educators hold up printed pictures when they want to convey a concept to their entire class. A red stop sign may indicate that the class is too loud, while a pencil can remind students that their peers are still working on a task. Another advantage of using printed pictures for nonverbal communication is that the images can be substituted if students become disinterested with frequently used pictures.
When you teach American Sign Language, not only will your students be learning cues, they’ll be learning a second language. Simple words you can teach your class in ASL include bathroom, help, play, sit, and stop. Don’t be surprised when parents report back that their son or daughter has started signing at the dinner table.
There are a number of things to consider before formally implementing nonverbal communication in your classroom, not the least of which is how to convey cues to students with special needs. First, it’s important to carefully explain nonverbal cues as if you were teaching a lesson. You’ll also need to discuss the benefits of following classroom cues and slowly demonstrate every cue until students are able to follow with ease. Finally, it’s important to review nonverbal cues regularly to ensure that they’re fresh in students’ minds, perhaps by rewarding your class for quickly responding when they see a cue.
As with any rule, you’ll want to ensure that cues, whether used to encourage or discourage behavior, are administered fairly. No one has a more emphatic sense of fairness than a grade-schooler. If students begin thinking that cues are biased toward certain students, they’ll be less likely to follow along. You must be consistent and even-handed in all aspects of teaching, including the use of nonverbal cues.
Nonverbal classroom cues help teachers effectively manage large groups of students, but they can also be tailored to the needs of individual students. Students with disabilities, in particular, may have difficulty maintaining focus or controlling their emotions. These students can benefit from nonverbal cues that are personalized for them. For example, if a student is known to have outbursts, you can develop a nonverbal cue that will inform them that their behavior is unacceptable without the need to reprimand them in front of their peers.
Other students may have physical limitations that prevent them from participating with the rest of their classmates. For example, not every student is going to have the fine motor skills needed to form signs when learning American Sign Language. Teachers in this situation may accept an approximation of the sign or explore a different nonverbal cue.
Nonverbal communication is just one of the many skills you’ll need as a special educator. In addition to utilizing nonverbal cues, you’ll need to be able to recognize developmental disorders, provide for students’ unique needs, and help students with disabilities reach their full academic potential. These are all fundamentals covered in our online Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education program. If you’re interested in learning more about the techniques employed by special education professionals, consider enrolling in the online MA in special education program at The University of Texas Permian Basin.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5346168/
Differentiated instruction, also known as differentiated learning, supports diversity in the classroom by providing multiple avenues for learning. Have you ever accounted for students’ strengths and weaknesses when developing lesson plans? Or helped a struggling student grasp a new concept by switching up your teaching method? If so, you may already be familiar with the benefits of this teaching approach.
The underlying principle that defines differentiation is that not everyone learns the same way or has the same skillset, but everyone has the right to an education that takes into account—and celebrates—their diverse needs. If you’re interested in a career as an English as a second language (ESL) teacher, this approach may one day play a pivotal role in your classroom.
Let’s first look at why students’ learning outcomes have improved with this teaching approach. In years past, it was widely thought that the optimal teaching method could be found by discovering a student’s preferred learning style. The most popular model for determining learning styles is VARK, which stands for:
At the end of a simple questionnaire, a student could discover if they learned by seeing, hearing, reading, or performing activities. However, as The Atlantic reports, research has shown that there is no correlation between academic performance and a student’s learning style. This is because students have a range of learning styles, not just one.
Rather than focusing on learning styles, teachers should focus on abilities. Some students excel at reading, while others excel at writing. This differentiation is crucial in ESL classes, where the disparities in students’ language skills may be challenging to overcome.
As University of Virginia psychologist Daniel Willingham explains, “Everyone is able to think in words; everyone is able to think in mental images. It’s much better to think of everyone having a toolbox of ways to think, and think to yourself, which tool is best?”
What is differentiated instruction? For Willingham and an increasing number of educational professionals, differentiated instruction is about using multiple tools (teaching methods) so that each and every student can benefit.
When it comes down to it, most educators want to know: What are the benefits of differentiated instruction in the classroom? The advantages of this teaching approach are so impactful that many teachers are eager to adopt it from the outset:
The benefits don’t stop there. Differentiated instruction also leads to:
Classrooms are mosaics built from students with different cultures, behaviors, and experiences. By acknowledging these differences and responding positively to student needs, an ESL teacher can foster an inclusive learning environment where students are better able to learn new language skills.
Let’s explore some of the main principles of differentiated learning.
Time, materials, and student groupings are teaching elements that are there to serve students, not the other way around. These elements should be flexible and adjusted as student needs are assessed and provided for. This is especially crucial in ESL classes, where some students may need more attention than their peers.
Differentiated instruction means continuously assessing students’ progress, ability, needs, and interests to inform instruction. By making assessment an ongoing process, teachers can determine where students are in relation to academic goals and adjust their teaching approach as needed. An ESL teacher should always be willing to approach a student regarding the challenges they’re facing in learning a second language.
Differentiation is all about mixing it up. Students should receive individual, small-group, and whole-class instruction. Groups should be similarly varied, with students working with peers of similar academic ability one week and peers with similar interests the next. Sometimes, all a struggling student needs is the assistance of a peer who’s a little farther along.
Every teacher hopes that students will find their lessons engaging, but the true difficulty lies in challenging students of varying skill levels. Teachers who regularly assess student progress can alter tasks so that students are only engaging with content they are able to learn. Rather than provide different tasks for every student, teachers can incorporate flexible tasks, such as having students study alone for a set amount of time.
Students know their academic strengths and weaknesses better than anyone. They know which lessons they find engaging, uninteresting, or downright painful to get through. Although teachers should always be strong sources of leadership in the classroom, student input is crucial for providing for their needs and maximizing learning.
Curious to see what differentiated instruction looks like in practice? Using an ESL classroom as an example, students have constant access to learning materials of varying levels of difficulty, and study times are set aside so that students can advance at their own pace.
Whether in small groups or with the whole class, students apply what they’ve learned to regular discussions, deepening their comprehension and retention of the English language. In addition to teaching by the book, teachers build lesson plans around their students’ individual skills, assessing abilities by reviewing assignments, listening to discussions, or engaging with students one-on-one. Everyone is learning in a differentiated classroom, including the teacher.
Differentiation is a crucial concept for teachers interested in bilingual career growth. ESL teachers instruct students with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and preferences that heavily influence their ability to learn a second language. ESL teachers must be able to account for, support, and celebrate what makes students unique learners. A Master of Arts in Bilingual/English as a Second Language Education can prepare aspiring professionals for this exciting role as a champion for student success.
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online MA in bilingual/ESL education program covers theoretical and practical methods of teaching, including strategies for teaching science, social studies, math, and language arts to Spanish speakers. Differentiated instruction is just one of the teaching methods we cover in this online program. In as little as 12 months, our online MA in bilingual/ESL education program can prepare you for an exciting career as a leader in the bilingual education field and, more importantly, a champion of student diversity.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in bilingual/ESL education program.
Sources:
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/the-myth-of-learning-styles/557687
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100216/chapters/Understanding-Differentiated-Instruction@-Building-a-Foundation-for-Leadership.aspx
Can speaking multiple languages boost your salary? Make travel easier? Even help prevent dementia? The answer is yes. But multilingual societies also face real challenges, from schools struggling with resources to entire languages disappearing. Whether you’re considering learning a second language or wondering how multilingual communities work, this guide covers what you need to know….
Bilingualism can come in handy for travel, work, and personal conversations. But did you know bilingual brains function better and longer? Bilingual people: Impressed yet? Let’s explore the cognitive advantages of a bilingual brain. How Does Being Bilingual Benefit Your Brain? Delayed Cognitive Decline People can stay sharp as they age by reading, playing word…
Education is changing fast. Today’s classrooms are moving away from rigid, cookie-cutter teaching methods. Alongside more modern teaching approaches like differentiated instruction and project-based learning, another player has entered the chat: gamification. If the term brings to mind clunky video games on outdated consoles, you’re not alone—and you’re not entirely off base. Today’s students are…
The first three years of a child’s life play a crucial role in his or her development. By the time healthy toddlers are ready to enter preschool, they will have reached a number of developmental milestones, including being able to dress themselves, say their first name, and play make-believe. Infants and toddlers who are having trouble reaching developmental milestones can catch up to their peers with the help of early intervention, a system of support services that help children with developmental delays. Early intervention is especially important in minimizing potential developmental delays for the one in six children in the United States diagnosed with developmental disabilities.
Early intervention can enhance the development of infants and toddlers and help individuals with disabilities reach their full potential. As we explore the importance of intervention programs, consider the active role you could take to help children overcome developmental delays. If you’re interested a career as a special education teacher or early intervention specialist, earning a master’s degree in special education can help you achieve your goal.
Although it’s best to mitigate a developmental issue before a child reaches the age of three, early intervention remains important during the subsequent school years. For example, a teacher who notices a student struggling with reading comprehension can help that student secure the individualized attention they need before they’re “left behind” by their peers. Despite the attention of caring parents and teachers, a struggling student may be suffering from an underlying developmental disability, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hearing loss, or a learning disability.
Early intervention in special education can improve developmental trajectories for children with disabilities and improve outcomes with regard to health; language; and cognitive, social, and emotional development. It can also help families care for their children, advocate for services, and gain access to systems of support. However, intervention is more likely to be effective if it is done earlier in life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “the connections in a child’s brain are most adaptable during the first three years of life. These connections, also called neural circuits, are the foundation for learning, behavior, and health. Over time, these connections become harder to change.” The earlier intervention is implemented, the better a child’s chances of achieving their full potential.
The need for early intervention in education is further supported by the CDC and Health Resources and Services Administration’s findings that the prevalence of developmental disabilities is increasing among children in the United States. Their study found that about 17% of children aged 3-17 had a developmental disability. Specifically, the number of children with developmental disabilities rose from 16.2% between 2009 and 2011 to 17.8% between 2015 and 2017; however, this is likely due in part to increased awareness, screening, and diagnosis of developmental disabilities. With one in six children in the United States being diagnosed with a developmental disability, this study shows that the actual number of children with developmental disabilities remains unknown and could point to an even greater need for early intervention in education.
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was passed with the goal of making public education and related services free and accessible to students with disabilities. The Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program (Part C) of IDEA was passed in 1986 to provide early intervention to infants and toddlers aged three and under. Together, IDEA and Part C govern how states and public agencies provide early intervention services to children with disabilities and their families.
Under Part C, every infant or toddler with a disability is entitled to receive an individualized family service plan (IFSP) developed by parents and a multidisciplinary team. Not to be confused with an IEP (individualized education program developed for public school children who need special education), an IFSP focuses on a child’s unique needs and how services and family members can meet those needs. An IFSP also focuses on easing a young learner’s transition to preschool. Examples of early intervention services include:
Services like these are essential for assisting children with their physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, and adaptive development. The special educators, social workers, and other qualified professionals who provide early intervention services all play a crucial role in helping boys and girls with special needs overcome developmental delays. If you’re interested in taking an active role in early intervention and prevention in special education, earning a master’s degree in special education is a good start.
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers a Master of Arts in Special Education that can help education professionals transition into a career helping students with disabilities. Whether you’d like to be a special education teacher and assist at a crucial time in a young learner’s life or an early intervention specialist and take a hands-on approach addressing developmental delays, our program can provide you with the skillset to do so.
Our online program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Courses like Characteristics of ASD and Developmental Disorders will help you identify characteristics of developmental disorders, while our course Transition Programming for Exceptional Learners will empower you to help students with special needs transition to life after secondary school.
UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program is affordable, 100% online, and can be completed in as little as 12 months. If you already have a career educating young children, you can earn your master’s degree in special education while continuing to foster their education. Advance your career at your own pace, from your own home. For a master’s degree that can open doors in a field in need of your experience, expertise, and empathy, enroll in UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-3yr.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/whyActEarly.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/early-brain-development.html
English and Spanish are two of the most spoken languages in the world, with 1.268 billion and 538 million speakers, respectively. Professionals fluent in both languages increase their chances of finding career success—one of the reasons why Spanish is the first language spoken by the majority of ESL learners. Programs designed to help ESL learners are commonly led by two types of teachers: English as a second language (ESL) teachers and bilingual education teachers.
Bilingual education teachers are fluent in students’ native language and able to ease the transition between students’ native language and English. ESL teachers, on the other hand, do not speak the student’s native language, instead focusing on implementing the best process for immersing students in the English language. Both ESL and bilingual education are effective for teaching students English, but which approach will you utilize in your classroom?
ESL classrooms are filled with students with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages. However, there’s only one language used for teaching in an ESL classroom: English.
Do ESL teachers have to be bilingual? No, English is the only language an educator needs to know to excel as an ESL teacher. The principle driving ESL education is that students will learn English faster if they are immersed in the language. Although they’re supported every step of the way, it’s sink or swim for ESL learners as they’re taught to read, write, and speak English. The use of other languages may be even be prohibited in an ESL classroom to encourage the use of English.
There are several types of ESL programs, but pull-out is one of the most popular forms. In this model, students are pulled out of their general education classes and instructed by ESL teachers either in groups or one on one. This is where some confusion arises between ESL vs. ELL students. English language learners (ELL) is a broad term that applies to any student learning English. In what is known as the push-in model, English language learners are generally kept in general classes and instructed by visiting ESL teachers.
ESL education can produce exceptional English speakers. However, students in ESL education who are unable to fall back on their native language may struggle to grasp complex concepts in English. Furthermore, students’ proficiency in their native language may suffer as they focus solely on learning English. As an ESL teacher, it would be your job to help your ELLs overcome these challenges.
If you are fluent in a second language, bilingual education may be the more fulfilling and financially rewarding career option. Students in a bilingual classroom all speak the same native language. For example, a bilingual education classroom may be entirely filled with Spanish-, Chinese-, or Arabic-speaking students. Students find that their native language is valued in a bilingual education classroom, which in turn helps them feel valued.
In bilingual classrooms, students are instructed in math, geography, history, and other traditional subjects. Unlike a traditional classroom, however, students are taught in both English and their native language. With the aid of a teacher who can engage in discussions, debates, and presentations in their first language, students in bilingual classes have a better chance of becoming fluent in both languages.
Dual language education, also known as two-way immersion, is a type of bilingual education that is steadily growing in popularity. As opposed to other programs that immerse students in a target language as quickly as possible, dual language education teaches ESL learners and native English speakers together with the goal of functional bilingualism and biliteracy for both groups. In an article published by NPR, George Mason University professors emeriti Wayne Thomas and Virginia Collier looked at eight million student records and found that dual language students had higher test scores, higher parent involvement, better attendance, and fewer behavioral problems than students in English-only classrooms.
ESL and bilingual education teachers both nurture and cultivate English language skills. Teachers in either profession can enjoy fulfilling careers teaching students a language that will better connect them to the world and people around them. Permanently enriching the lives of students is the goal of every educator, but that’s not the only thing these two career options have in common.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were five million ESL learners enrolled in the United States public school system in 2017, up from 3.8 million students in 2000. Texas, in particular, has a high need for ESL and bilingual education teachers, with 20% of the state’s total student population identified as ESL learners. As the number of ESL learners continues to rise, school districts will be in greater need of ESL and bilingual education teachers. Once you’ve earned your degree and are looking at ESL vs. bilingual certification in Texas, know that either option leads to a growing career field.
Bilingual education teachers often earn annual salaries of about $50,000, per Glassdoor. The top-earning bilingual education teachers make over $70,000 annually. Although they may not speak a second language, ESL teachers possess a highly sought-after skill set and earn about $45,000 annually, with some ESL teachers making as much as $60,000 a year. A career as an ESL or bilingual ESL teacher is both financially and emotionally rewarding, but you’ll first need to enter a master’s degree program that builds upon your strengths.
You’ve seen the commonalities these careers share; now let’s break down what sets them apart. Explore the chart below to compare key differences between ESL and bilingual education:
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Masters of Arts in Bilingual/English as a Second Language Education program for teachers and administrators interested in a career educating ESL learners. Spanish-speaking students pursuing an MA in bilingual education learn how to teach science, social studies, math, language arts, and reading in Spanish, whereas students pursuing an MA in ESL education are empowered with the skills needed to pass on their own English language skills to their pupils. Upon completion of the program, students enrolled in UT Permian Basin’s MA in bilingual education program have the option of sitting for the Texas Bilingual Supplemental Exam, as long as they meet the other eligibility requirements.
Whether you immerse your students in a new language or act as a bridge between two languages, our online program will empower you with the skills needed to teach any ESL learner who enters your classroom.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in bilingual/ESL education program.
Sources:
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=96
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/English%20Learner%20-%20LPAC%20FAQ.pdf
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/29/497943749/6-potential-brain-benefits-of-bilingual-education
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgf.asp
Whether you’re an educator structuring an engaging curriculum for your English language learners (ELLs) or you’re thinking about checking an item off of your bucket list by learning a second language, one thing is for sure—mastering a new language isn’t for the faint of heart. From language-learning apps to one-on-one lessons with a personal tutor,…
The United States is in desperate need of qualified teachers—so much so that schools have started hiring teachers from half a world away. School districts are searching for fully certified professionals, preferably those who are certified to teach two subjects, but what’s the purpose of dual certification if schools are going to such extremes to hire…
Education is changing fast. Today’s classrooms are moving away from rigid, cookie-cutter teaching methods. Alongside more modern teaching approaches like differentiated instruction and project-based learning, another player has entered the chat: gamification. If the term brings to mind clunky video games on outdated consoles, you’re not alone—and you’re not entirely off base. Today’s students are…
If you’ve ever imagined leading a school community—supporting students, guiding teachers, and making big-picture decisions that shape the future—becoming a principal might be your next step.
In Texas, the path to principal certification includes a mix of education, experience, and exams. Whether you’re currently teaching or just starting to explore leadership roles, this guide will walk you through the five key requirements set by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). It all starts with earning your master’s degree in educational leadership—and we’ll show you how to get there.
Finding a university accredited by one of the agencies recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is the first stop on your way to becoming a Texas principal. The U.S. Department of Education provides an accredited database you can use to research qualifying universities, but we can save you some time.
Since 1975, The University of Texas Permian Basin has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the recognized regional accrediting body for degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern United States.
When you earn a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from UT Permian Basin, you’re earning a prestigious degree that meets the first requirement for becoming a principal in Texas. Our program will also prepare you for this role by covering such topics as instructional leadership, school public relations, cultural diversity in education, and school law.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you already hold a valid classroom teaching certificate. As stipulated by TEA, standard education certificates must be renewed every five years (continuing professional education requirements and application instructions can be found here). Educators with a lifetime certificate (certificates issued prior to Sept. 1, 1999) must still have them revalidated by taking the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA).
Completing two years as a classroom teacher is one of the requirements for principal certification in Texas. Many of the skills you’ve acquired as an educator—active listening, conflict resolution, time management—will prove invaluable in a career as a principal.
UT Permian Basin’s online MA in educational leadership program is a meaningful, rigorous program that will build upon these skills by engaging you in real-world experiences that administrators encounter on a day-to-day basis.
Furthermore, because our program is 100% online, you can continue your education while working toward that two-year teaching requirement. If you’re an educator with a busy personal and professional schedule, our flexible online program and its multiple annual start dates can accommodate your needs.
Prior to taking the final exam to receive a Texas principal certification, candidates must complete a principal educator preparation program. What is a principal educator preparation program? Essentially, it’s a graduate certificate program offered by universities to students who have already earned a master’s degree.
UT Permian Basin offers an online principal certification program that prepares professionals for not only the certification exams but also a career as an advocate for the students, teachers, and staff that may one day be under their administration. Advanced candidates in our online MA in educational leadership program may also become eligible for a principal certification.
The final requirement for becoming a principal in Texas is passing the Principal as Instructional Leader (268) exam, a computer-administered test covering the following areas:
As of Sept. 1, 2019, candidates must also complete the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL) to obtain a standard principal certification. The PASL includes three tasks that must be completed during the candidate’s internship, including a video submission of themselves facilitating a collaborative team.
As part of UT Permian Basin’s online MA in educational leadership program, students complete an eight-week supervised practicum in a school setting during which students can complete the video submission requirements for the PASL.
Like UT Permian Basin’s online MA in educational leadership program, a career as a principal is rigorous and rewarding. No two days are the same, as principals attend school assemblies, meet with parents, and stop by classrooms. At every turn, they’re interacting with students, listening to their successes and failures, and watching them grow into more mature and well-rounded learners.
If life as a principal appeals to you, there’s a clear path to becoming a principal in Texas, and it begins with earning an MA in educational leadership.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in educational leadership program.
Sources:
http://reportcenter.highered.texas.gov/agency-publication/miscellaneous/private-post-secondary-institution-accrediting-agencies-2018/
https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/institution-profile/146418
http://www.tx.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/TX_SG_obj_268.htm
Education is changing fast. Today’s classrooms are moving away from rigid, cookie-cutter teaching methods. Alongside more modern teaching approaches like differentiated instruction and project-based learning, another player has entered the chat: gamification. If the term brings to mind clunky video games on outdated consoles, you’re not alone—and you’re not entirely off base. Today’s students are…
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela Shaping Education: From Pioneers to Advocates Education has long been a cornerstone of human civilization, shaping the course of society across generations. Educational pioneers like Horace Mann, who championed free public education, and Maria Montessori, who revolutionized individualized learning,…
Robots in the classroom. Three-dimensional online education. 2025 is well underway, and the potential for big developments in education is on the horizon this year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these educational trends are centered around technology-facilitated digital learning. Some may be familiar, while others may be new to you. All are expected to become more…
Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with word decoding, or the ability to understand how a word’s appearance relates to what it sounds like. Regardless of their vision or intellect, people with dyslexia can experience difficulty reading, spelling, and speaking. What it’s like to live with dyslexia? Dyslexic individuals often report that they see letters “jump around” when trying to read. If that seems challenging as an adult, imagine what it must feel like for boys and girls entering school.
The importance of early detection of learning disabilities like dyslexia can’t be overstated. Dyslexia can have a profound impact on a student’s ability to read and write. Without these invaluable language skills, students with dyslexia can experience avoidable and lifelong educational, social, and economic problems. Let’s take a closer look at dyslexia and how special education teachers can intervene when they suspect a student may be dyslexic.
What’s it actually like for young learners with this disorder? Children typically don’t encounter issues with dyslexia until they have a book in their hands and are surrounded by classmates. Because of their disability, they often have to read something several times before the message sinks in. They encounter a similar issue with spelling, often spelling a word differently over and over again. As a result, dyslexic students have to work harder to catch up to their peers, which leads to frustration, low self-esteem, and anxiety—issues that can stay with them well into adulthood. Despite often having above-average intellects, dyslexic students can come to feel “stupid.” That’s the last thing that special educators want for their students.
Despite increased awareness, the majority of children with dyslexia aren’t identified until the fifth grade, with many students identified far later. What makes this so disheartening is that intervention is far less effective when administered after the third grade. A recent study published by the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students at risk for reading disabilities who received intervention in the first and second grade made gains nearly twice that of children who didn’t receive intervention until the third grade. Furthermore, the reading outcomes for first graders who received intervention were even greater than that of their second-grade peers, further proving the importance of early detection of dyslexia.
Why is early intervention so effective? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the connections in a child’s brain are most adaptable in the first three years of their life. These formative years are a crucial part of children’s physical, cognitive, and behavioral development, which is why intervention is less effective after a child reaches the age of three. Without aggressive, early intervention, children with dyslexia may be unable to overcome significant and persistent achievement gaps.
In an article published by the Journal of Pediatrics, researchers looked at the achievement gap between dyslexic and typical readers. The reading scores and verbal IQ of 414 participants were assessed yearly throughout grade school. Researchers found that the achievement gap between dyslexic readers and their peers was evident as early as first grade. In addition, the trajectories for these two groups never converged, meaning that dyslexic students were unable to catch up with their peers. As the article states, “If the persistent achievement gap between dyslexic and typical readers is to be narrowed, or even closed, reading interventions must be implemented early, when children are still developing the basic foundation for reading acquisition.”
The article goes on to list potential consequences for dyslexic readers, including:
By implementing effective reading programs in preschool and kindergarten, educators have better chances of closing the achievement gap and helping dyslexic students avoid these negative outcomes.
Although educational research supports the theory that early detection of dyslexia is important, there is much debate as to which screening method is the most effective. Universal screening with a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is among the most popular ways to identify a child’s risk for having or developing dyslexia. With this approach, students are screened twice a year from kindergarten through the third grade. Screening results are then used to inform teaching methods. However, there are limitations with this screening method: chiefly that it’s a broad approach that only identifies students in need of special education services after they’ve already encountered difficulties.
The ideal screening approach involves a progress monitoring system that assesses students’ response to intervention instruction. In Tier 1, an entire class receives “quality first” instruction. Tier 2 contains a small group of students who need more intense intervention in addition to regular instruction, while Tier 3 contains students with the greatest need for individualized attention. Screenings like this are crucial for the development of a child’s individualized education program (IEP), a unique document designed to help a student with disabilities receive special education services and achieve improved academic outcomes. Once it’s decided that a student with dyslexia is in need of special education, the baton is passed to special educators.
There may not be a cure for dyslexia, but reading difficulties can be prevented and developmental delays can be mitigated. Special educators can help students overcome these challenges by being mindful of the signs that a student may unknowingly be struggling with dyslexia, such as difficulty with word retrieval, remembering sequences, or understanding how words rhyme. Once a student has been identified as being at risk for dyslexia, a teacher can employ a number of teaching methods to improve their reading skills. For example, a teacher may employ differentiated instruction—switch up their teaching style—by having students read along while a story is being played on an audio device.
If you’re interested in helping students with dyslexia and other disabilities overcome developmental delays and achieve academic success, consider pursuing a Master of Arts in Special Education from The University of Texas Permian Basin. In addition to being affordable, flexible, and 100% online, our program will empower you with the skills needed to identify the characteristics of disorders like dyslexia and implement the appropriate intervention programs. Students with developmental and learning disabilities can overcome the academic challenges facing them, but they have a better chance of doing so with the assistance of passionate educational professionals like you.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353552
https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/05/health/dyslexia-simulation/index.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4538781/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529660/
The vast majority of students with disabilities spend their school days in general education classrooms, surrounded by nondisabled peers. The reasons for this are clear: students with disabilities have improved academic outcomes, have fewer absences, and receive better instruction when taught alongside their nondisabled peers. However, in order for students with disabilities to master general education content, general educators and special education teachers must work together to provide an inclusive classroom that accommodates their needs.
Classroom inclusion goes beyond giving students with disabilities the quality education they have a right to. It’s about providing an improved learning environment that takes into account the unique needs of all young learners. As we discuss the many benefits of and approaches to making classrooms more inclusive, consider what it would be like to expand your role in education and serve the students most in need of your attention.
A paper published by the National Center of Educational Outcomes (NCEO) shows that 80-85% of special education students can meet the same achievement standards as their nondisabled peers if given the individualized instruction, appropriate access, supports, and accommodations required by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities are affected to varying degrees by a variety of conditions, and only a small group of students, including students with intellectual impairments, autism, and multiple disabilities, require different achievement standards. Even then, these students benefit from grade-level curriculum.
In a paper summarizing the evidence on inclusive education, researchers looked at more than 280 research studies in 25 countries and found consistent evidence that when students with disabilities are taught alongside their nondisabled peers, their cognitive and social development benefited. Although results vary from student to student, students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms tended to outperform their peers in segregated settings.
Classroom inclusion for special needs actually benefits disabled and nondisabled students alike. In order to foster inclusivity, educators have to take into account students’ individual strengths and weaknesses, which means providing students with multiple ways to engage with material, interpret content, and express themselves in class. As a result of their relationship with students with disabilities, nondisabled students in inclusive classrooms also report having improved self-esteem, personal principles, and acceptance of people who look and behave differently than they do—acceptance that can develop into lifelong friendships.
In order for students with disabilities to achieve academically, it’s not enough for them to share a classroom with their nondisabled peers. In an article by Scholastic, education consultant Audrey O’Clair compares an inclusive classroom to a wheelchair ramp, an accommodation that can help one segment of the population while being used by all. “When it comes to education, how can we make a metaphorical ramp?”
As required by IDEA, every student with a disability is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a unique document developed by parents and a multidisciplinary team to improve educational results for students with disabilities. Among other vital information, this document covers a student’s annual goals, special education services to be provided, and the extent to which they can participate with nondisabled students. Reviewing the IEP of every student with a disability in your class will help ensure that you are meeting their specific needs.
Students can feel distracted or even distressed by loud noises and commotion in and outside of the classroom. When students feel overwhelmed or frustrated, a safe place can help them regain their composure. A safe place can be designated anywhere in the room that students feel comfortable, whether that’s behind a bookshelf or at a desk in the corner. Some teachers even allow their students to briefly leave the classroom if they feel uncomfortable cooling down in front of their classmates.
Wheelchair-bound students need to be able to move around their classroom with ease, while students with vision impairments need to sit closer to the front of the class. Ask yourself: how would I interact with the world if I was a small child? Are there enough learning materials, and are they all within reach of the young boys and girls in my class? Stock your classroom with enough pencils, paper, and supplies to ensure that a student’s preferred learning materials are only an arm’s length away.
Differentiated instruction entails using multiple teaching methods so that every student can benefit. For example, some students excel at reading and will benefit from reading a story by themselves, whereas other students are better listeners and will benefit from reading along with an audio recording. One of the key tenants of differentiated instruction is giving students as many opportunities to learn as possible. By providing learning materials of varying types and levels of difficulty, teachers can ensure that all students have access to learnable content.
Special education teachers are sources of support for students and general education teachers alike. Traditionally, special education teachers would join a general education classroom to assist a small group of students or provide individualized attention to a single student. However, making sure that students with disabilities don’t feel singled out from their peers is an important aspect of classroom inclusion for special needs. General and special educators may take turns instructing students in an inclusive classroom. They may even elect to co-teach a class and foster an inclusive learning environment together.
There are nearly 7 million disabled students currently enrolled in the U.S. public school system. The vast majority of these students are placed in general education classrooms, where they rely on the experience and expertise of trained educators. If you’re interested in becoming a source of support for these students, consider pursuing a masters’ degree in special education from The University of Texas Permian Basin. At UT Permian Basin, you can earn a Master of Arts in Special Education in as little as 12 months and advance in a growing field of advocates, educators, and specialists.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://nceo.umn.edu/docs/OnlinePubs/Martha_Thurlow-Meeting_the_Needs_of_Special_Education_Students.pdf
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED596134.pdf
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/how-teacher-training-hinders-special-needs-students/518286/
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-life/gifted-special-needs/inside-inclusive-classroom.html
Psychology is the study of the biological, social, and environmental influences that affect how people think, behave, and learn. This last item has been the subject of great debate in the special education field, where educators strive to help students overcome achievement gaps. With about 14% of all public school students in the U.S. receiving special education services, how can educators provide the ideal learning environment for these young boys and girls?
To answer this question, we’ll have to take a look at the role of psychology in special education, i.e., educational psychology. Educational psychology has been the driving force behind some of the greatest advances in the field of special education, including the reintegration of students with disabilities into general education classrooms. If you’d like to learn how educational psychology can be used to help students with disabilities achieve academic success, consider pursuing a Master of Arts in Special Education from The University of Texas Permian Basin.
Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the processes and problems that influence learning. By understanding how people absorb and retain information, educational psychologists can inform instructional processes and help ensure improved academic outcomes for students, regardless of their abilities, resources, or environments. This is especially important for students with disabilities, who are affected to varying degrees by a range of developmental challenges.
The origins of educational psychology can be traced back to Aristotle and Plato, but it’s psychologists like Jean Piaget who laid the foundations for one of the most important principles of educational psychology: knowledge can’t simply be given. Teachers can present information in an engaging and relevant manner, but it’s ultimately up to the student to learn and retain information. This is the idea behind the constructivist theory, a theory of learning that asserts that students can only learn by building upon previous knowledge. Cooperative learning is another key principle of constructivist theory and is the idea that students will more easily overcome problems and comprehend lessons if they are able to work through them in groups.
Although a number of other theories, including the cognitive learning theory, shape how lessons are taught across the United States, the idea that a student is an active participant in their learning experience is continuing to shape how students with special needs are taught in the classroom.
With the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA), all children with disabilities are guaranteed free, appropriate public education. As Congress reasserted the importance of this groundbreaking legislation in 2004, educators began shifting their focus to the individual rather than their impairments. With this dynamic shift, general education teachers are increasingly teaching a mix of disabled of nondisabled students—a task that comes with its own set of challenges. For assistance, general educators often rely on special educators, who can apply their knowledge of educational psychology to the classroom and help provide the ideal learning environment.
Educational psychology has completely altered the special education landscape. Whereas students with disabilities were once segregated from the rest of the student population, educators now know that the majority of students with disabilities can achieve the same academic standards as their nondisabled peers. However, the needs of every student with a disability must be accounted and provided for if they are to achieve academic success.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to educating students with disabilities. Taking the lessons learned by educational psychologists, teachers differentiate instruction so that every student has a chance to learn regardless of their abilities. In addition to flexibility, ongoing assessment, and collaboration, differentiated instruction prioritizes group work and a challenging work environment: student-centered concepts shared by the constructivist view of learning. In an inclusive classroom, students with disabilities are taught alongside their nondisabled peers and receive individual, small-group, and whole-class instruction, as well as the opportunity to discuss lessons with peers of varying ability and interests.
Providing a challenging learning environment often proves more difficult. How do you provide engaging content to both disabled and nondisabled students? Remember, students learn by building upon their own experiences, which is why it’s best that students always engage with content they are able to learn. This means assessing the progress and needs of every student and planning lessons accordingly.
Prior to the passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 (currently enacted as IDEA), individuals with disabilities were often relegated to state institutions, where they would receive little more than the bare necessities—food, clothing, shelter. Individuals with disabilities were rarely educated and rehabilitated. What is the role of psychology in special education? Educational psychology provides teachers with a means to educate individuals with disabilities who may not otherwise have access to the first-rate education they deserve.
Educational Psychology covers theories of behavior, learning and instruction and research on human ontological development, and it’s one of the many courses taught in UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program. In our online program, you’ll learn how to apply these concepts to the classroom. Additional program courses that can prepare you for a rewarding career as a special education teacher include:
Upon completion of UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program, graduates are prepared to plan lessons, manage classrooms, and provide instruction, all while accounting for the needs of students with disabilities. If you’re interested in applying the expertise of educational psychologists to your classroom, enroll in our affordable, flexible, 100% online program. The principles of educational psychology will serve you well in the classroom as one of the many considerations you’ll need to take into account when providing the ideal learning environment for special education students.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MA in special education program.
Sources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-educational-psychology-2795157
https://www.dphu.org/uploads/attachements/books/books_4778_0.pdf
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.pdf
Technology use has become as standard in today’s classrooms as it has throughout every other aspect of our lives: jobs, family life, personal finances, etc. While students used to carry a stack of textbooks to school, now they’re carrying laptops—even at the elementary level. The paper notebook, in many cases, has been supplanted by the computer notebook.
Technology has always been designed to make the user’s tasks easier to complete, whether it’s an assignment for a class, a time-sensitive project for an employer, or annual tax documents. For students with developmental and learning disabilities, the need for technological assistance in education is even greater.
Special education is geared toward students living with a broad range of conditions, including blindness, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Down syndrome, motor impairments, and autism. Estimates show that more than 7 million students living with disabilities are attending public schools in the United States, and individuals with specific learning disabilities or speech or language impairments make up the majority of these students. Technology in special education can help these disabled students keep up with their peers to the extent possible and prepare for future success.
Various assistive technologies are being used for special education students today. These include:
Virtual reality environments can help autistic students in stressful situations where they deal with crowds, such as hallways, school assemblies, and the cafeteria. By encountering these scenarios in a nonthreatening virtual environment, these students can gradually become accustomed to them and will be better prepared to respond calmly and appropriately in real-life situations. Virtual reality also gives students with motor disabilities the ability to manipulate objects that they are unable to manipulate in the real world.
These devices are useful for visual learning, reading, drawing, and watching videos. They can help students with motor impairments improve their coordination and those with reading disabilities comprehend written information via text-to-speech apps. Further, students with autism respond very well to using these devices to learn. Numerous apps have been created specifically for autistic students.
NOVA Chat is a dedicated speech generation device that, in conjunction with text-to-speech programs, provides assistance to students who have reading disabilities. It reads text aloud and also converts speech into text on the screen.
This software is designed for students who have reading disabilities. It enables users to customize a learning program for each individual student, giving those students fluency goals and tracking their progress as they continue to learn through the program.
Known as a handheld augmentative communication device, DynaVox xPress helps students develop greater reading fluency and natural speech patterns and pronunciation. The device uses a combination of text and images to express language to and increase the vocabulary of the user.
This software offers interactive lessons in reading and math that provide students with individualized attention and tailored education plans. In addition, it gives the parents of the students the ability to view their child’s learning progress.
The central purpose of technology in special education is to enable students to learn in a way that accommodates their individual learning styles and limitations. Equally important is helping them experience:
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, a Columbus, Indiana public school district with approximately 12,000 students, provides one example of how technology in the classroom can help students with special needs excel. According to a U.S. Department of Education report, students in that district who were hesitant to communicate face-to-face became engaged in class discussions in the online setting. After the school district implemented universal design for learning (UDL), an approach that incorporates digital books, specialized software and websites, screen readers with a text-to-speech feature, and other technology tools, graduation rates increased 22% for special education students.
While much of the technology mentioned here is user friendly, these innovations aren’t always easily implemented in the classroom. Tools and applications may have a learning curve for the teachers who will be tasked with using them and demonstrating their use to special education students. With internet-enabled devices, there’s also a risk that students’ attention will be drawn away by websites or other functions of the technology that aren’t germane to their coursework.
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers online master’s-level programs in special education that can prepare students to take on the challenges of technology and other aspects of special education as teachers. In their roles as educators, they’ll be able to use technology to improve their students’ learning abilities and, consequently, their lives. Each of these CAEP-accredited degree programs explores the use of technology and innovation in the classroom:
Technology and School Change—a required course in these programs—was created to help students acquire a deeper understanding of the impact technology has on education, especially as it relates to students with disabilities. Course objectives are to understand that impact as it currently exists and what it may be in the future, as well as to examine how educators can use technology across all educational settings to positively influence the learning environment for all students, disabled or not.
Students in any UT Permian Basin special education program can complete Technology and School Change and all their other required courses in a 100% online classroom that allows self-paced learning from any location. The core degree program and autism track can be completed in as little as 12 months, and the educational diagnostician track can be completed in as little as 24 months.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online Master of Arts in Special Education now.
Sources:
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgg.asp
https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf
https://www.iste.org/explore/Innovator-solutions/How-special-education-technology-improves-learning
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/12/05/five-top-technology-trends-in-special-education.html