Haida Language Facilitator

Job Summary

The goal of KIC's Language program is to preserve and revitalize the heritage languages of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people, in service to the ultimate goal of revitalization: language fluency. All language program staff must possess a demonstrated commitment to language learning, usage, teaching, and promulgation in his/her personal and professional life.

The Heritage Language Facilitator contributes to the preservation of the Tribe's heritage languages through working with mentors and fluent speakers, committing to ongoing knowledge acquisition in the heritage language; contributing to curriculum use, development and/or promulgation; and facilitating connection and collaboration amongst language programs and activists to share information, resources, and learning opportunities. The role and duties of the Heritage Language Facilitator contributes to the collective success of language efforts in the designated heritage language to ensure lasting impact of program activities, and to establish KIC as a language learning hub.

Language staff will serve as the Tribe's heritage language experts, leaders, and activists. The primary responsibility of the Heritage Language Facilitator is to advance preservation and revitalization efforts of the designated heritage language through the following roles and responsibilities:

• Serving as KIC's heritage language expert to advise and inform program strategies and objectives, including implementation of best practices
• Being knowledgeable about state, regional, and local heritage language efforts, resources, learning opportunities, tools & trends
• Networking in the community and region with institutions and key individuals to multiply efforts
• Partnering with learners to support, encourage, connect with resources, and lead or facilitate learning opportunities in order to establish a community of language learning
• Spearheading preservation and revitalization projects in the respective language based on identified needs and goals
• Building and maintaining relationships with Elders, speakers, and language activists
• Overseeing KIC's language activity reporting & performance measurement standards

The Heritage Language Facilitator is looked to as a language role model and leader in our community and provides formal or informal mentorship to other language learners, as appropriate, as well as facilitating opportunities, providing resources, and creating spaces for the development of a language learning community. The incumbent is also expected to apply his/her language skills throughout the community, especially at tribal and cultural events and may be called on to demonstrate his/her progress by sharing in a variety of public settings, such as (but not limited to) Tribal Council meetings, Annual Meeting, Elder's Dinners, youth events and community potlatches. Duties are carried out to fulfill the Language Program's strategic plan and within established guidelines and policies under the general supervision of the Education and Training Director.

Essential Heritage Language Facilitator Job Duties

PARTICIPATES BY

• Engaging in regular interaction or activities with mentors and fluent speakers for professional development and consultation;
• Committing to immersion style learning when engaging other language learners and speakers;
• Documenting and sharing heritage language through use of digital voice, photo, and/or video recordings;
• Recruiting language learners and facilitating instruction and mentoring;
• Developing and sharing language learning resources;
• Conducting assessment of language status, resources, needs, strengths, and opportunities;
• Becoming knowledgeable and experienced with language learning and preservation and revitalization best practices;
• Networking with other institutions and individuals involved in heritage language work and activism;
• Eliciting and responding to requests for public integration of Native language usage.

DEVELOPS SPEAKING ABILITIES BY

• Developing connections and regular interaction with fluent speakers, mentors, and elders;
• Utilizing heritage language throughout the workday and in all other possible situations;
• Practicing conversation exclusively in heritage language with other language learners in person and through videoconferencing;
• Addressing other language learners and teachers in the heritage language at cultural events and in the community.

DEVELOPS WRITING ABILITIES BY

• Reviewing audio or video recordings and creating transcriptions from existing resources and recordings;
• Assisting in the compiling, organizing, and republishing of KIC language material and resources;
• Keeping a language journal to document increased literacy in heritage language;
• Producing written translations of words, phrases, and texts as required by the Tribe or as requested by other organizations or individuals.

EVALUATES PROGRESS BY

• Regularly participating in and reporting on self-evaluation and evaluation of language learners;
• Soliciting feedback from fluent speakers, elders, mentors and other language speakers;
• Administering satisfaction surveys and other feedback tools to seek learners or students' input and assess learner progress as a measure of instructor effectiveness;
• Establishes goals and objectives, timelines and activities, and tracks progress toward completion;
• Identifying tools and models used as best practices amongst other language learners and teachers to establish consistency in measurement.

DEVELOPS LEARNING PLANS BY

• Participating in regular evaluation to determine areas of improvement;
• Prioritizing language learning needs which will have the most impact on conversation and identified curricula/teaching needs;
• Identifying and sharing available resources which may contribute to strengthening of language skills;
• Reviews progress of learners/Language program participants on a monthly basis and recommends changes to their learning plans when results are not as anticipated;
• Strategically using work hours to allow for maximum growth, collaborating with language learners to maximize learning time toward the ultimate goal of fluency development.

CONTRIBUTES TO LANGUAGE TEAM BY

• Sharing the responsibility of developing, creating, and producing language learning and instructional material;
• Conserving shared program resources by using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish learning and teaching results;
• Assisting in the development and creation of organized databases and catalogs of language material, including original documentation.
• Participating in strategic planning and goal-setting for KIC's language preservation and revitalization efforts.

ASSISTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED LANGUAGE PROGRAMS BY

• Innovating language instruction opportunities and learning methods to increase reach and impact;
• Participating in grant search, preparation, proposal development, project implementation, and performance measurement to accomplish program goals;
• Identifying age-appropriate and culturally-relevant curricula needs of community-based program;
• Collaborating with other organizations who develop curricula for or administer community-based education or language programs;
• Testing and evaluating curricula for pilot courses in community to increase potential learners, especially within educational and youth/children services;
• Becoming knowledgeable of models for language preservation and revitalization, and making recommendations for new approaches and projects;
• Provides regular instruction and language activities within existing tribal programs, such as but not limited to LVLC and Tribal Youth programs;
• Maintaining positive working relationship with other education and language programs, language activists and institutions involved in language preservation and revitalization work;
• Implementing a public relations strategy and leveraging social media for community outreach.

INSTRUCTS STUDENTS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE BY

• Providing regular language courses and workshops on a rolling basis;
• Planning, enhancing, and implementing curriculum for group or class settings;
• Modifying plans on the basis of student diagnostic and assessment procedures;
• Conveying information through use of instructional materials;
• Utilizing teaching tools such as audio-visual techniques, games, songs, and dances;
• Leveraging technology to increase instructional reach and interest.

MAINTAINS WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LANGUAGE TEAM BY

• Demonstrating sensitivity and patience when working with language mentors, elders, instructors, and other language learners and teachers;
• Participating and contributing to program and department staff meetings;
• Planning and working collaboratively with supervisor or department director to identify and address work priorities.

Additional Duties

• Assists department in fulfilling other strategic or programmatic goals and grant obligations;
• Participate in regular department meetings and report highlights of the program to Education and Training Director;
• Regularly communicates program needs and challenges to the Education and Training Director to ensure program success;
• All other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of heritage language, including orthography, and possesses advanced speaking abilities;
• Ability to learn heritage language in immersion settings;
• Ability to use digital voice, photo and video recording equipment;
• Ability to quickly transcribe live and previously recorded language speaking sessions by hand and electronically;
• Ability to develop high quality products for use in language learning and instruction;
• Ability to collect data, keep accurate and organized records, and ensure timely preparation of reports;
• Skilled in instruction or consultation in a classroom environment;
• Ability to work with children, elders, and adult learners;
• Ability to work in conjunction with school programs and other identified language allies;
• Ability to communicate professionally over the telephone and in person in a positive and clear manner;
• Ability to be flexible in order to perform at the highest level as a team player;
• Ability to utilize maximum degree of professionalism and diplomacy with those who may be experiencing a high degree of stress both mentally and/or physically;
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and able to prioritize assignments;
• Ability to keep tribal and school district operations confidential.

Physical Activities Include

Must be able to hear. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch; and taste or smell. Each of the listed activities also requires standing, sitting, walking, bending, and stooping, climbing on stools and ladders, and occasionally lifting and carrying items and boxes up to forty (40) pounds.

Education

High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor degree in education and linguistic preferred.

Experience

At least three (3) years' experience learning and/or teaching heritage language;

Must demonstrate strong commitment to heritage language learning, preservation and revitalization.

Any combination of related education and/or related experience will be considered if the candidate posses the demonstrated ability.

Special Requirements

Individual must posses or ability to possess:

• Current background investigation report with acceptable history outlined in the State of Alaska, Department of Education and Indian Child Protection Act;
• Immunization documentation;
• Letter of Recommendation from previous language teacher that attests to learning/teaching experience in heritage language.