How would I work in a school with special needs children?

Question

I'm currently studying for a joint degree in French (language and literature) and English (literature), and am considering taking a PGCE after I graduate. However, would it be best for me to do a primary PGCE or a secondary school one in order to do this? Or are there other options?

Answer 1

At my school in Illinois you have to have a degree in special education with emphasis on autism to teach classes. To be an aide you don't.

Answer 2

Is this joint degree undergraduate. You may be able to do a post graduate degree in special education teaching.

I'm assuming that the only difference  between the two is one allows you to be a primary teacher and the other a secondary teacher.

It doesn't really matter. Special ed teachers are needed in both areas. Probably more so in secondary though as more people go into primary as the students aren't as hard to handle.

If you're looking at working as a mainstream teacher who has students with disabilities in their class then you're probably better off doing primary as more students go to a specialist setting for secondary (depends on the disability and the availability of options in the area though)