JOB FUNCTION:

Under the general supervision of the Principal, with a functional reporting role to the District Principal, Learning, the Registered Visual Language Interpreter will provide interpreting for deaf and hard of hearing students, classmates and educational staff in order to support students in their school activities and their Individual Education Plans.  The RVLI will also act, as an interpreter for School or District staff and other allied professionals providing and receiving relevant student information. The RVLIs may be deployed to other district sites when services are not required at the assigned location.

REPORTING TO:

The Principal, with a functional reporting role to the District Principal, Learning.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK:

1. Accurately interpret information from spoken English to American Sign Language/Signed English/Sign Assisted Speech as well as, from American Sign Language/Signed English to spoken English delivering the intent, meaning and register of the speaker at a level commensurate with the grade level of the student as required.
2. Facilitate communication between deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students and staff by providing interpreting services in and out of the classroom, adjusting to the signing, educational and communication required.  This may include scribing ASL to written English.
3. Interpret in educational situations such as classroom instruction, student-to-student dialogue, counselling sessions, tutorials, assemblies, parent/student meetings, field trips and any other situations requiring communication.
4. Under the direction of the classroom teacher and teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, provides language extensions and vocabulary reinforcement to support academic concepts.
5. Prepare, as necessary, for interpreting in an educational setting by reviewing educational material, vocabulary, concepts, sentence structure and plan for a variety of situations (e.g. non-close captioned videos, field trips, school assembly presentations).
6. Participate in educational team meetings, including the development and review of progress on the Individual Education Plan, providing insight on the success of communication strategies.
7. Maintain confidentiality of all information relating to students, parents and staff.
8. Address differences in auditory, perceptual, visual and memory abilities through augmentative communication.
9. Operate a personal computer and applications, FM equipment, and other augmentative communication devices for educational purposes as required.

10. May, on occasion, be required to perform other job-related duties as assigned, including supervision, assisting individual student(s) or groups of students when help is solicited.

REQUIRED ABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS:

1.       Completion of a recognized 2-year Interpreter Training Program (ITP), or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

2.       Fluency and ability to:

·     interpret American Sign Language/Signed English/Sign Assisted Speech, including the ability to adjust to the signing, educational, and communication levels that are consistent with the grade level of the student as required;

·     as evidenced through a screening committee comprised of representatives of school district professional(s), interpreting organizations and members of the deaf community; and,

·     an excellent command of the English language and ability to interpret same.

3.       More than 6 months’ experience at providing interpreting services.

4.       Be a member in good standing of and abide by the Code of Ethics:

·       The Canadian Association of Visual Language Interpreters (CASLI); and,

·       The Westcoast Association of Visual Language Interpreters (WAVLI).

5. Have acquired or willingness to acquire an understanding of the learning and social needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners in a mainstream education setting.

6. Physical ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job.

7. Ability to work at the level of independence and with the degree of initiative appropriate to the position.

8. Ability to work flexible hours as needed in order to accommodate after school meetings or events and extra-curricular activities.

9. Ability to work well with students and other adults.