Teaches academic and living skills to primary, middle or intermediate, and secondary school students with particular learning difficulties using various techniques, and promotes students' social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Assess students' abilities and limitations; plans, organises and implements special programmes to provide remedial or advanced tuition; administers various forms of assessment and interprets the results; teaches basic academic subjects, and practical and self-help skills to children with special needs; devises instructional materials, methods and aids to assist in training and rehabilitation; advises, instructs and counsels parents and teachers on the availability and use of special techniques; stimulates and develops interests, abilities, manual skills and coordination; confers with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons for special needs students; prepares and maintains student data and other records and submits reports.

• Works indoors in offices and teaching spaces within educational facilities.
• Occasionally works outdoors to teach educational programmes.
• Works in adequately lit, heated, ventilated and clean, well maintained workspaces.

• Sedentary to light physical work.
• Frequently sits in offices and teaching spaces when teaching some activities, preparing teaching materials, completing administration tasks or in discussion with staff, parents and students.
• Stands and walks frequently around the teaching spaces to teach the class, monitor and interact with young people and to provide individual support to pupils.
• Occasional bending, squatting or crouching, stretching and twisting are required in but this is not a significant component of the job.
• Occasional lifting, pulling or carrying is required within a sedentary to light physical demand depending on the activity that may include carrying teaching resources or to move equipment items about the workspace. Lifting, pulling or carrying is, however, not a significant component of the job.
• Occasional to frequent repetitive hand and finger movements are required when using writing tools including pens, chalk and when using computers.
• There is frequent use of office and learning equipment and materials including art materials, books and toys, language materials, video players, games, books, music, computers, telephones, educational toys and outdoor play equipment.
• Driving may be required on an occasional basis.
• Mental skills necessary include a high level of cognitive functioning and teaching, behaviour management and supervision, communication, interpersonal, creativity, programme development, organisational, administrative, computing, problem solving and decision-making capabilities.

• A relevant tertiary qualification. In some instances particular experience and/or on-the-job training may be required (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
• Registration with the New Zealand Teachers’ Council is required along with a current Practising Certificate.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement.