Аннотация
Currently, the number of children with special educational needs in our country is steadily increasing. This situation has led to a growing demand for special education teachers and highlighted the need to enhance their professional competencies. The professional training of special educators is a key indicator of educational quality and serves as a decisive mechanism for advancing inclusion in society. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to training future special education teachers—integrating theoretical knowledge, practical preparation, and socio-value orientations—has become a pressing issue. The purpose of this study is to identify the ways of developing the professional competence of future special educators, to analyze the requirements for their preparation, and to propose recommendations for improving educational programs. The research involved the analysis of state and university archival documents, as well as scientific works. At the theoretical level, analysis and synthesis methods were employed. At the practical level, a survey was conducted among employers from special and general education institutions in East Kazakhstan region. More than 40 employers participated, assessing the professional competencies of graduates. As a result, graduates’ professionalism was defined in three main areas: knowledge (16%), practical skills (16%), and personal qualities (17%). Employers also identified shortcomings in the training system, such as insufficient practice (25%), lack of methodological materials in the Kazakh language, and a shortage of teachers specializing in surdopedagogy. Well-developed competencies included pedagogical mastery, diagnostic skills, the ability to apply methodologies, and proficiency in theoretical knowledge and information technologies. Thus, improving the training system for special educators not only ensures quality education for children with special needs but also provides an effective mechanism for preparing competitive specialists for the labor market.