Paraeducator - Hearing Impaired (Sign Language)

About the role

Under the general direction of the Manager of Special Education, acts as an aide and interpreter for hearing impaired students not in an oral speech program and assists students within the student's assigned educational environment; facilitates communication between deaf and/or hard of hearing students and hearing persons; and performs a variety of duties relative to assigned area of responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Provides sign to voice and voice to sign interpreting of communications between students and teachers using American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin Signed English (PSE), or Signed Exact English (SEE) and Oral Interpreting in a variety of classroom and recreational settings;
• Interpret lessons, educational information and all directives presented by the instructor;
• Integrates the hearing impaired student into the educational program of the classroom through the use of sign language, finger spelling, speech, reading, writing, gestures, pictures, and other methods;
• Assists students in developing communication skills such as sign language, speech reading, and English;
• Assists students by interpreting explanations of vocabulary and basic concepts from lessons and readings;
• takes notes as needed;
• Reverse interprets by orally responding for the student as needed;
• Assists the teacher in all communication needs, including the promotion of safety and the encouragement of acceptable behavior and maintenance of discipline;
• Observes and reports progress of students as required;
• observes and controls behavior of students according to approved procedures;
• Assists students by providing proper examples, emotional support, friendly attitude, and general guidance;
• Confers, as needed, with teachers concerning programs and materials to meet the students’ needs;
• Assists the teacher in providing parents with skills to aid in communicating with their hearing impaired children in support of the classroom instructions;
• Provides support to the teacher by setting up work areas, displays and exhibits, operating various educational equipment as needed, and distributing and collecting papers and supplies;
• Assists hearing impaired students become self-reliant.

Requirements

• Education (Title I Requirement): Graduation from high school or equivalent and one of the following: Completion of at least two years of study (48 semester units or 60 quarter units) at an accredited institution of higher education; or Attainment of an Associate of Arts degree or higher; or Meeting a rigorous standard of quality by receiving a passing score on an examination administered by the Personnel Commission, demonstrating the knowledge and ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Experience: Six months of sign language interpreting experience working with students or school-age children in a school, health services, or other structured environment. Experience working with special education students is desirable.
• Licenses and Certificates: Possession of a valid CPR and First Aid certificate. A valid California Driver’s License may be required for some positions.

Qualifications

• Special Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations requires that, as of July 1, 2009, all employees performing sign language interpretation in a K–12 educational setting must possess a valid certificate issued by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or an equivalent certification as defined by the California Department of Education.
• Equivalent certifications include valid certificates with a score of 4.0 or higher from one of the following organizations: National Association of the Deaf (NAD), American Consortium of Certified Interpreters (ACCI), Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), Educational Sign Skills Evaluation – Interpreter/Receptive (ESSE-I/R).

Skills

• Fluency in American Sign Language.

Benefits

• Gold Coast Trust Indemnity Medical-Plan: Blue Cross (PPO) or Kaiser (HMO)
• Dependent Coverage: Spouse and unmarried children to age 19 or to age 25 if full time student.
• Dental Benefits: 70% of covered charges for benefits received during the first calendar year of eligibility. This percentage will increase 10% each subsequent year to a maximum of 100%.
• Vision Service Plan (VSP): Covers one vision examination and one set of lenses each twelve month period. VSP will make an allowance toward the cost of "Elective Contact Lenses."
• Prudential Life Insurance: $10,000/member and $1,500/Dependents.

Pay

$18.00/hour

Schedule

5.75 hours per day, 183 workdays per year