JOB SUMMARY:

To provide educational support for hearing impaired students.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Additional duties may be assigned.

1. Take an active part in familiarizing and guiding inexperienced students with the effective use of an interpreter.
2. Before the first day of school, obtains textbooks (teacher’s editions if available), course outlines, and other related material for assigned students. On weekly basis, obtains lesson plans to become familiar with the vocabulary necessary for accurate sign choices.
3. Interprets all lectures, discussion, demonstrations, and announcements as accurately as possible.
4. Interprets student’s comments, responses, and presentations as accurately as possible.
5. Is on time to class and remains until the end of class.
6. Sits or stands within student proximity, the teacher and the chalkboard, and away from distracting background noise and visual distractions.
7. Voices or mouths message for each student while employing sign language to facilitate Total Communication.
8. Reports student difficulty in understanding the course content to classroom teacher.
9. Follows the classroom teacher’s directions.
10. Encourages teacher and student to communicate directly with each other.
11. Reports language that violates student discipline code to the teacher in charge.
12. Encourages the student to take responsibility to communicate and interact with other students and teachers independently.
13. Avoids dress that could be visually distracting, such as, wearing bright prints or distracting patterns, bright/dark nail polish, and/or excessive amounts of jewelry (especially dangling bracelets or earrings).
14. Becomes familiar with technical signs used in different content areas. Fingerspells unfamiliar signs and later develops a sign for that specific educational term.
15. Tutors under the supervision of the teacher.
16. Protect and maintain the confidentiality rights of student information in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws.
17. Adheres to established Code of Ethics for Educational Interpreters as follows:
    1. The educational interpreter shall keep all school related information strictly confidential. However, school related information may be shared among professionals directly related to or working with the student (i.e., mainstream teachers, counselors, teacher of the hearing impaired, another interpreter).
    2. Interpreters shall render the message faithfully, always conveying the content and spirit of the speaker, using language most readily understood by the person(s) whom they serve.
    3. Interpreters shall not counsel, advise or interject personal opinions.
    4. The educational interpreter shall serve as a resource person to the faculty and staff for questions concerning a deaf or hard of hearing student’s classroom performance and special needs. The teacher of the hearing impaired should be made aware of ongoing concerns and problems.
    5. The educational interpreter shall, at all times, maintain a professional attitude, bringing respect to him/herself, the student and the profession.
    6. Interpreters shall strive to further knowledge and skills through participation in workshops, professional meetings, interaction with professional colleagues and reading of current literature in the field.
18. Keeps license current at all times.
19. Adheres to all Board policies and procedures

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

1. Associate degree or higher in hearing impaired or related field.
2. Certification by Missouri Commission for the Deaf and licensed by the Division of Professional Registration or evidence that credentialing is in process.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

1. Ability to communicate, both verbally and in writing, and interact effectively with all aspects of the school community is required.
2. Ability to solve conflicts, maintain confidentiality and remain open to various ideas and viewpoints.

MATHMATICAL SKILLS:

1. Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
2. Ability to perform mathematical calculations to balance assigned budget items, invoices, bills, purchase orders and other related items.

REASONING ABILITY:

1. Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines while complying with established policies and procedures of the building and district.
2. Identifies and resolve problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information skillfully; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
3. Ability to concentrate, think, read and learn is necessary to perform the essential job duties.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Ability to work collaboratively with teachers of Hearing Impaired students

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must regularly sit, talk, listen, and respond.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use repetitive wrist, hand and/or finger movement; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear.  The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, precise hand-eye coordination and the ability to identify and distinguish colors.  Occasionally, the employee may lift up to 50 pounds, such as, to lift files,