ELA Curriculum & Instructional Specialist - ASD

Position: ELA Curriculum & Instructional Specialist (Part-Time)

Department: Alabama School for the Deaf

Location: Talladega, Alabama

ABOUT ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND (AIDB)

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is the world’s most comprehensive education, rehabilitation, and service program serving individuals of all ages who are Deaf, Blind, DeafBlind, multidisabled, and their families. Founded in 1858, AIDB serves more than 30,000 infants, toddlers, children, adults, and senior citizens with hearing and vision loss throughout Alabama each year.

Our services span a lifetime and include five campuses in Talladega, a statewide network of regional centers, Early Intervention services, traditional and nontraditional educational opportunities in residential, day, and outreach settings, and a manufacturing facility known as Alabama Industries for the Blind (AIB), the state’s largest employer of adults who are Blind. AIDB’s three K-12 schools — Alabama School for the Blind, Alabama School for the Deaf, and Helen Keller School of Alabama — provide specialized educational services that empower students to achieve their full potential.

Our employees are among the organization’s most valuable assets and resources. We share a commitment to leveling the playing field for all. Our mission makes AIDB a unique place to work.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the ELA Curriculum & Instructional Specialist, you will drive the development, alignment, and continuous improvement of the school's English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum from elementary through high school. You will mentor and support classroom teachers, facilitate high-impact professional learning opportunities, and analyze student assessment data to refine instructional practices. Collaborating with school administrators, you will help design schoolwide literacy goals, establish intervention plans for striving readers, and ensure that all ELA instruction is strictly aligned with the Alabama Course of Study standards to meet the diverse needs of learners.

ABOUT YOU

You are a highly collaborative instructional leader who possesses a deep understanding of evidence-based literacy practices and data-driven instruction. You excel at coaching educators, building consensus, and translating complex student data into actionable lesson plans. You bring a passion for advocating for diverse learners—including students who are deaf and hard of hearing and those with additional disabilities—ensuring that differentiated instruction is actively integrated across all classrooms.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Basic Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree in Education, English, Reading/Literacy, Special Education, or Deaf Education.
• Licensure & Certification: Must hold or be eligible to obtain a valid Alabama Educator License and appropriate Special Education or Reading Specialist certification.
• Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of successful classroom teaching experience with a focus on ELA and literacy development.
• Sign Language Proficiency: Must have SLPI score of Intermediate or higher upon hire.
• Must meet suitability/background requirements for employment 

Preferred Qualifications

• Specialized Setting: Prior experience working with students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or multidisabled, with strong proficiency in implementing adapted language-acquisition strategies.
• Coaching Experience: Previous professional experience in teacher mentoring, instructional coaching, or curriculum design in an educational setting.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Instruction & Training

• Teacher Coaching & Mentorship: Mentor and support ELA teachers through direct classroom observations, regular coaching, and ongoing professional guidance.
• Intervention Planning: Support structured intervention planning for students who are performing below grade level in reading and writing.
• Differentiated Instruction: Provide specialized guidance on differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of diverse learners, including students who are deaf and hard of hearing and students with additional disabilities.
• Curriculum Alignment: Ensure all curriculum documents, instructional resources, and pacing guides are aligned with the Alabama Course of Study standards and applicable state assessments.
   

Administration & Observation

• Data-Driven Lesson Planning: Collaborate closely with teachers to develop and refine data-driven lesson plans and instructional strategies aligned with individual student needs.
• Data Analysis & Performance Tracking: Assist teachers in analyzing student assessment data to identify instructional strengths, learning gaps, and targeted areas for improvement.
• Performance Recommendations: Review schoolwide ELA performance data to identify trends and provide strategic recommendations to improve overall student achievement.
• Materials & Assessment Selection: Assist in reviewing, selecting, and implementing high-quality instructional materials, assessments, and schoolwide literacy resources.
• Executive Reporting: Prepare and submit periodic reports and recommendations regarding curriculum implementation, instructional effectiveness, and student achievement trends to school leadership.

Outreach & Development

• Curriculum Design & Alignment: Assist in the development, alignment, and continuous improvement of the school's ELA curriculum from elementary through high school.
• Professional Development: Facilitate professional learning opportunities and training sessions related to literacy instruction, assessment practices, and curriculum implementation.
• Goal Setting & Collaboration: Collaborate with administrators and instructional staff to establish schoolwide literacy goals and systematically monitor progress toward those goals.
• Administrative Meetings: Participate in curriculum and instructional planning meetings as requested by school administration.
   

Professional Development and Certifications

• Ongoing Methodology Growth: Stay abreast of current research, evidence-based literacy practices, and pedagogical strategies to support student literacy from elementary through high school.
• Core AIDB Training: Fulfill all AIDB-specific training requirements within the first twelve (12) months of hire.

Upon offer of employment, the applicant must submit to a fingerprint background check at an agency designated and paid by AIDB. This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job goals, qualifications, and responsibilities, and the employee may be required to perform other related duties as assigned.

Salary:             PH-01       $42.91 Hourly                                                  

Days:               2-3 days per week