At Indy Reads, our vision is to make Central Indiana 100% literate.  With 1 in 5 Hoosiers reading at or below a sixth-grade ability, our mission to promote and improve the literacy of adults and families in Central Indiana is needed now more than ever! We take a community literacy approach to teaching adult students. Through an innovative social learning model, instructors are supported by a team of volunteer tutors in each dynamic classroom setting offered at partner locations throughout the Indianapolis area.

The Indy Reads program is an opportunity for each student to access comprehensive literacy education from an instructor-led and volunteer tutor-driven team. The Instructor will provide basic, relevant language and literacy instruction through the use of technology and classroom instruction to provide an individualized learning experience. The instructor will oversee student progress, as well as a team of volunteer tutors who will act as instructional aides to provide a well-rounded language and literacy curriculum. The goal of instruction will be to support individual adult ESL/ELL students in making continuous improvements in their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills in English. Student progress will be measured by the TABE CLAS-E.

Primary Roles and Responsibilities:

Creating a Comfortable and Positive Learning Community:

1. Establishing rapport with students
2. Promoting student self-efficacy and growth mindset
3. Evaluating and responding to individual student needs
4. Observing confidentiality of students and program information

Individualization

Lead students in a multi-level classroom (Basic - High-Intermediate/Advanced): Analyze and select diverse texts from traditional print, digital, and online resources that link to multiple ability levels and multicultural perspectives, and connect to students’ backgrounds, interests, and English language proficiency levels, for a class of up to 20 students

1. Design in-depth instruction to improve students’ abilities to read and understand varied text, and to spur student interest in more complex reading materials.
2. Coordinate tutors to maximize differentiation: Work with, support, and assist volunteer  tutors in providing engaging small group learning
3. Retain students by ensuring instructional content is relevant to individual specific adult lives and interests

Relevant, Dynamic Lesson Planning & Instruction

1. Write lesson plans that include individualized activities for each group/level as well as activities that incorporate the entire class, such as pronunciation exercises, games, etc.
2. Develop English language instruction that is responsive to the diverse needs of the students, including background, education and ability level.
3. Scaffold instruction to support student needs, such as: gradually increasing the amount of writing instruction students receive (e.g., resume, cover letter, research essay).
4. Use appropriate and varied instructional approaches supported by research for the following areas:
   1. Comprehension, fluency, critical thinking, motivation, vocabulary, integrated writing, conversational English, phonological awareness, etc.
5. Use information from the TABE CLAS-E and classroom observations to monitor progress and measure effectiveness of intervention practices and students’ responses to instruction.
6. Communicate student challenges as well as effective strategies to staff.

Other Duties

1. Training and Meetings: Plan collaboratively with other instructors and Instructional Team Lead to implement high-leverage reading strategies.
2. Professional Development workshops will be held quarterly.
3. Meet consistently with Instructional Team Lead and ELL Instructors to strengthen professional teaching knowledge and to stay current with the latest research on effective practices for adult literacy.
4. Use existing technology effectively in the performance of duties.
5. Perform other work as required.

Job Requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree in related field required. Educator license or degree preferred
2. ELL or TESOL background: Minimum two years classroom instruction experience OR recent ESL teaching certificate completion.
3. Experience working with students with learning differences or working with adults preferred.
4. Ability to speak other languages and experience living abroad a plus.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use his/her hands to feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Human Resources: hr@indyreads.org. In your cover letter address the following:

Why is the Indy Reads mission important to you and to the  Central  Indiana community?How does your experience make you the ideal candidate for this position?