ASL Support Staff

ASL Support Staff –  School Year

Posting Date:
July 1, 2026 until filled

Position: ASL Support Staff

Job Type:  School Year

Employer:

Michigan School for the Deaf contract employee: this is not a State of Michigan Civil Service position

Location:

Michigan School for the Deaf – Flint, Michigan

Rate of Pay: $41,865 salary

Bargaining Union:
Non-Union

Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD) is a program that serves Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and their families throughout the State of Michigan. The ASL Support Staff role will serve Deaf children from 0–5 and MSD staff. This position reports to the Principal.

The ASL Facilitator supports the development of early communication skills for children ages 0–5 by providing high-quality American Sign Language instruction, modeling, and language-rich experiences. This role also supports MSD program staff and families by building their ASL knowledge, promoting inclusive communication practices, and ensuring accessible learning environments for children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or who benefit from visual language support.

Programming will include a blend of group, individual, and appointment-based approaches, and the role will be responsible for coordinating all scheduling and tracking the number of individuals served. Additionally, this role helps ensure smooth program operations by collaborating with staff to plan ASL-rich activities, preparing materials in advance, and communicating regularly with teams and families to support consistent and effective language service delivery.

Additionally, this role supports high‑quality ASL and early language development by creating accessible visual materials, recommending communication accommodations, using assessment data to document and guide interventions, and staying current on best practices in ASL instruction and Deaf cultural competence.

• Offer training, coaching, and resource support to staff to increase comfort and consistency using ASL and visual communication strategies.
• Provide ASL modeling and language facilitation in classrooms, small groups, and one‑on‑one with children ages 0–5.
• Support early communication development through play‑based, developmentally appropriate ASL strategies.
• Collaborate with teachers, paraprofessionals, and early intervention providers to integrate ASL and visual language supports into daily routines.
• Partner with families to model ASL use, share vocabulary, and reinforce communication goals in the home environment.
• Create and share visual supports, ASL vocabulary lists, simple curriculum materials, and child‑friendly ASL activities.
• Promote inclusive, accessible environments by identifying communication needs and recommending accommodations or strategies.
• Stay current on best practices in early childhood language development, Deaf culture, and ASL instruction.
• Provide age‑appropriate assessments (such as the VCSL) and be able to use data to develop actionable language interventions.
• Maintain documentation of sessions, progress records, and communication with staff and families.

• Previous experience working as an ASL facilitator or specialist within a school setting.
• Ability to communicate effectively both in American Sign Language and in English in writing.
• Knowledge of ASL developmental milestones and supporting language learning.
• Experience working with Deaf children (0‑5) in early childhood or early intervention settings.
• Understanding of child development, early language acquisition, and play‑based instruction.
• ASL proficiency at an ASLPI level of 4 or above to ensure readiness for training and administering ASL assessments such as the Visual Communication Checklist.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with students, parents, staff, and the Deaf community.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance and strong organizational skills.

• ASL Support Staff will work during the academic year. Time off is in one‑week blocks per the MSD calendar, noted as other breaks during Christmas Break, Spring Break, and summer. (Without pay or available paid time…