School Support Associate (ASL Specialist) - Missouri School for the Deaf (MSD), 505 E. 5 th St., Fulton, MO 65251Salary: $50,016 annually
This is a 12-month exempt position that provides support to the staff, students, educators, and parents of students of MSD. Responsibilities include the development, implementation, and assessment of a sign language instruction program that supports the school’s communication philosophy. The job requires regular contact with school staff. This position reports directly to the Communication Coordinator.
Essential Functions: The incumbent must have the ability to perform the essential functions below either with or without reasonable accommodations .
- Provide ASL instruction for MSD staff, students, educators, and parents throughout Missouri and to community members, as requested, via direct (in-person) instruction and/or online technology.
- Develop and modify curricula to support ASL instructional efforts.
- Use formal and informal assessments to evaluate signing skills of staff and students, then develop a plan to support them in attaining their signing goals.
- In collaboration with the MSD Communication and Outreach departments, develop informational videos to be filmed and used for training and in distance learning activities, as requested.
- Develop and lead ASL immersion activities for families and/or professionals, as well as other ASL learning opportunities, as requested.
- Consult with teachers and support staff members regarding signing-specific concepts and instructional materials within various contexts and to develop and teach ASL goals for classroom-based instruction and individual student needs.
- Collaborate with school administration in supporting the school’s communication philosophy.
- Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.
Preferred Skills: - In-depth knowledge/training in ASL education.
- Knowledge of and ability to assess ASL proficiency or willingness to gain training in this area.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Deaf culture.
- Knowledge of and ability to assess and apply technology to perform the requirements of the position; ability to effectively utilize a variety of computer software applications, which may include but is not limited to e-mail, internet, word processing, electronic calendar, presentation development, video conferencing, online curriculum, etc.
- Ability to communicate effectively with all audiences.
- Ability to work cooperatively with others and promote a positive learning environment.
- American Sign Language competency level of Advanced + on the SLPI or the equivalent.
Minimum Qualifications: - Bachelor’s and/or master's degree in ASL/Linguistics, Teaching of ASL, Deaf Studies, Education or closely related field from an accredited college or university is strongly desired, or documented work experience which provides an equivalent knowledge base related to ASL instruction.
- Possess, or be willing to obtain within one year, Provisional Level Certification from the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA).
OR - Three (3) years of experience teaching/working with students and/or adults in an educational environment is preferred.
- Possess, or be willing to obtain within one year, Provisional Level Certification from the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA).
NOTE: If a college degree is a requirement for this position, transcripts MUST be submitted with the application in order to be considered for employment. Failure to include transcripts (when required for the position) with your application will eliminate the application from the review process .
More reasons to love this position: The State of Missouri offers an excellent benefits package that includes a defined pension plan, generous amounts of leave and holiday time, and eligibility for health insurance coverage. Your total compensation is more than the dollars you receive in your paycheck. To help demonstrate the value of working for the State of Missouri, we have created an interactive Total Compensation Calculator. This tool provides a comprehensive view of benefits and more that are offered to prospective employees. The Total Compensation Calculator and other applicant resources can be found here .