Interview resources for SEN Teachers

Being a special educational needs (SEN) teacher can be a highly rewarding career, but a career in the classroom depends on you successfully getting through an interview for the role.

In addition to a diverse set of specialist skills and attributes, any prospective SEN teacher entering into primary or secondary education will be expected to demonstrate that they have a complete and thorough understanding of the job.

Not only will you be expected to set up a safe and supportive learning environment, but you’ll also need sufficient knowledge of how to deal with any challenges that you may face.

Fortunately, there are plenty of resources and guidance available to help you land your next SEN teaching role.

Showcase your skills and SEND knowledge

Children with SEND across the education system may have a complex range of different needs, from physical or mental disabilities to behavioural issues, sensory impairments or speech or language difficulties – or even a combination of the above.

As a result, different situations require different approaches in order to best support the children concerned, something you’ll want to keep in mind during an interview.

Where possible, ensure that your answers use demonstrable examples, where the results of your actions can be clearly seen through improved learning outcomes for pupils.

If you want additional interview practice, you can find an array of interview questions and other resources online, such as those available via Twinkl and the Education and Training Foundation.

Think best teaching practices

As part of the interview process for becoming an SEN teacher, it’s highly likely you’ll be asked to teach while under observation, so you can be assessed on how you go about things.

These sessions are usually relatively short – around 15-30 minutes at most – but they provide you with ample opportunity to demonstrate what you know.

If you’re unsure where to start, the Sutton Trust has a handy resource on what makes teaching great, so you should attempt to ensure that your plans align with best practice.

Give plenty of thought to the tools and processes you could use to engage with pupils, including those which may be best suited to pupils with highly complex needs.

Know the language

SEN teaching features an array of acronyms and various jargon which will likely come up in an interview.

If you intend to work with pupils with SEND, you’ll therefore need to understand the language and the terms being used, as you’ll also be expected to use that terminology when answering questions.

A glossary of prevalent terms in SEN education can be found at Kids.org, while Autism Support UK also has a guide on the various terminology you may need to know.

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