ASL Bilingual Specialist

The Children’s Center for Communication/ Beverly School for the Deaf

           ASL Bilingual Specialist Job Description

REPORTS TO:  

Primary –BSD Education Director  Secondary – BSD Program Director  Tertiary – Executive Director

SUMMARY: 

• The Position of the ASL Specialist provides professional level service to students and staff in the areas of signacy, literacy and oracy and functional communication skill development
• This position provides professional level service to families in learning ASL and understanding Deaf culture
• Position requires a Bachelor’s Degree
• Proficient ASL skills 
• Proficient English skills (reading/writing)
• Specialized knowledge of assessment tools for ASL skills 
• Specialized knowledge of language acquisition in deaf children
• Collaboration skills with early intervention and educational team/personnel

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Early Intervention:

• Provide consultation to teachers and facilitators on strategies to foster ASL and English language 

• Weekly participation in the Parent Infant Program

• ASL storytime in the Parent Infant Program

• Provide joint visits with early intervention providers to ensure families have the opportunity to learn about ASL and Deaf Culture

• Collaborate with the early intervention team on the development of a Deaf Mentor program 

Family Support:

• Collaborate with Outreach Department, Reading/Literacy Specialist, and others, to organize and facilitate workshops for families in ASL and English Literacy

• Collaborate with ASL team on the development of family ASL classes

Evaluations:

• Provide ASL evaluations for students transitioning from early intervention to school age services

• In collaboration with a child’s team (e.g. classroom teacher and speech-language pathologist), support 3-year comprehensive reevaluations, which may include evaluation of current ASL skills, input on goals/objectives, and recommendations for accommodations/modifications regarding communication strategies and access

Collaboration:

• Collaborate with classroom teachers and related service providers to maximize ASL development in those children who are deaf/hard of hearing and experience developmental, physical, and/or communication challenges 

• Collaborate with classroom teachers to align ASL instruction with specific units of study and vocabulary

• Support classroom teachers in developing ASL and English literacy materials, such as classroom theme language, sign and word vocabulary, and ASL literature in collaboration with reading/literacy specialist

• Collaborate with classroom teachers/SLP providers on on-going assessment of ASL and English receptive and expressive skills by students.

• Provide consultation to and mentor classroom teachers/therapists on ASL and English language models following the principles and practices of bilingual education for the deaf 

• Collaborate with classroom teachers and SLPs on the development, implementation, and data tracking of ASL IEP objectives for specified students

• Collaborate with teachers and therapists on developing lesson plans/therapy plans/data collection based on the goals/benchmarks of student IEP as they pertain to ASL and English language development. 

• Serve as a resource to other departments in ASL and English usage development

• Collaborate with others in organizing and providing training for classroom teachers and other school personnel

• Assist with research to assess the needs of teachers/students and the success of specific programs/literature/resources in collaboration with reading/curriculum specialist

• Assist in planning and implementing teacher training based on teacher needs as related to the overall school mission in collaboration with reading/curriculum specialist

• Collaborate with teachers and others to organize and catalog ASL and English literacy materials as needed

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Position requires a Bachelor’s degree and licensure in Deaf Education or eligible to receive licensure
• Proficient ASL skills as evidenced by a minimum score of Advanced Plus on the SLPI with preference given to a candidate with a score of Superior
• Specialized knowledge of assessment tools for ASL skills 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Ability to communicate in a highly effective manner - in English and ASL
• Ability to understand, follow, and deliver safety policy and procedures 
• Ability to provide a supportive and caring environment for children. 
• Ability to provide direct staff supervision, leadership, and role modeling for all classroom and support personnel. 
• Ability to provide a creative and active learning setting for all children that encourages healthy growth. 
• Ability to receive professional direction, learn new skills, and work in a team setting. 
• Knowledge of Deaf/HH culture, and special issues related to Deaf/HH students.  
• Knowledge of and experience with multimodal communication and augmentative alternative communication (AAC), and/or openness to learn and collaborate
• Knowledge and experience with individuals with developmental disabilities and complex communication needs
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge regarding practices and tools for evaluating ASL development in DHH children.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 

• Successful candidates must submit to a sign language competency examination.  
• Successful candidates will present appropriate certifications as required by DESE. (Teacher of the Deaf, World Language Teacher, Special Education Teacher, etc)

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORT: 

• Work involves moderate exposure to a variety of safety elements, including moderate physical activity, student behavior, student hygiene, and limited food preparation. 
• The environment may require physically assisting students with a weight, up to and in excess of 50 pounds  
• Work environment may involve operation of school vehicles in the transportation of students to and from community settings. 

The Children’s Center for Communication & Beverly School for the Deaf provides all training required by OSHA, ESE, and EEC to ensure employee and student safety

Apply directly on SchoolSpring. Contact jessicafox@cccbsd.org with questions.

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