EDUCATIONAL SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER (ITINERANT) BASIC FUNCTION: Professionally support the mission of Stockton Unified School District in providing high quality delivery of educational services to all students. Under the direction of the Director of Special Education, the Administrator of Special Education and/or an assigned site Administrator; provide interpreting/transliteration services that effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary that facilitates communication between deaf and/or hard of hearing students and others; teachers, administrators, parents, students, counselors, to assist deaf and hard of hearing students. REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES: ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Interpret for D/HH students who are educated in a variety of educational environments, general education, and special education continuum including early childhood natural environments, community based and vocational instruction. Recognize and adjust interpretive language to match the student’s preferred language and language mode to ensure that the student comprehends the interpretation. Interpret for parent conferences, IEP meetings and other school-sponsored activities as needed. Provide tutoring and instructional support to D/HH students to assist them in their classes. Participate in educational team meetings and provide information on students’ use of interpreting services and proficiency in communication. Maintain confidentiality about student information and communication content, as appropriate to the educational system. Participate in meetings and conferences as assigned. Facilitate the on-going acquisition of sign language skills for students and staff. Assist in data collection, maintaining records, class assignments and provide signing to assist in achieving IEP/IFSP goals and benchmarks; report student progress to assigned teachers. Consult with classroom teachers to identify pupils in need of special assistance, identify unusual problems and report to teachers as appropriate. Assist with social development of students through communication, implementation of behavior support plans and appropriate modeling of behavior. Work with teachers to develop ways of increasing interaction between deaf students and all peers. Support the use of assistive technology, hearing aids, sound amplification systems, etc. Maintain cultural awareness and sensitivity to different attitudes and life styles. KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: KNOWLEDGE OF: •To be knowledgeable of a variety of sign languages and systems e.g. American Sign Language, Pidgin Sign English, Manually Coded English, Cued Speech. •To draw on a broad spectrum of knowledge in the humanities, sciences, and the arts, often collectively called general studies. •To have knowledge of the educational implications, challenges and issues that face students with hearing impairment. •Additional support services: Tutoring techniques and responsibilities; note-taking, use of visual materials, specialized seating. •Orientation to deafness: Information about teaching sign language and about deafness or hearing impairment for the lay person; referral sources on general topics relating to deafness; when, how, and to whom to make referrals, promoting an expanded communication environment for the deaf or hard of hearing student; fostering student participation in activities. •Challenges and issues that face students with deafness and hearing impairment. ABILITY TO: •Utilize Visual English and American Sign Language and demonstrate ability to understand and to be understood by a variety of students at different age level. •Facilitating communication between a student and the student’s teacher that reflects a “sense of the whole message” rather than just a technically correct translation of the words used. •Convey the different “registers” of the speaker e.g. degree of formality, range of emotion, directiveness, and discourse makers which indicate the comment is an “aside” or a sidebar to the main conversation. •Interpreter should recognize when communication provided by the interpreter is or is not clearly understood by the student. •Utilize appropriate signs from already known signs, to promote the understanding of concepts and words found in an academic setting, and research signs that are needed for the academic area. •Demonstrate interpersonal and professional skills with the ability to interact effectively with peers, supervisors, children and parents, utilizing tact, patience and courtesy. •Encourage student independence, including use of communication. •Assist students in a positive, flexible and understanding manner. •Modify and prepare instructional materials for the student as directed by the teacher. •Understand and follow oral, signed and written directions. •Speak, read and write clearly and distinctly. •Provide instructional assistance to students in a variety of activities. •Ability to learn the functions, procedures and limitations of assigned duties, as well, maintain a professional relationship with all students and families. •Ability to successfully supervise student. •Demonstrate on-going proficiency development in the area of sign language systems. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Two years of college (minimum 48 semester units) or possession of an Associate degree or higher or proof of certification through a local assessment which meets the requirements of “No Child Left Behind” AND possession of an Interpreter certification, as determined by the California Department of Education (CDE), AND two years of experience interpreting for deaf or hearing impaired students. WORKING CONDITIONS: ENVIRONMENT: Employees in this position will be required to work at various locations and come in direct contact with students, District personnel, outside agency representatives and the public. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Employees in this position must have/be able to: •Sit for extended periods of time. •Enter data into a computer terminal/typewriter and operate standard office equipment. •See and read a computer screen and printed matter with or without vision aids. •See, hear and speak with/without assistive devices sufficient to communicate effectively with others. •Drive to a variety of locations. •Reach overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally, grasp, push, pull. •Lift and/or carry up to 25 pounds at waist height for short distances. •Sign for extended periods of time.