Name of the Position: Block Academic Coordinator- Multilingual Education (6)
Location: Districts – Koraput - Odisha
Nature of Employment: One-year full consultancy Contract (Extendable based on performance)
About Language and Learning Foundation (LLF)
Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) (www.languageandlearningfoundation.org) is a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi. Its vision is to enhance equitable student learning, especially language and literacy development, through professional development of teachers and teacher educators, knowledge building and sharing, and project implementation in collaboration with state governments. LLF currently works with eight state governments across the country.
LLF’s work on Multilingual Education (MLE)
Resonating with the spirit of the NEP 2020, NIPUN Bharat, and NCF-FS 2022, LLF has always been committed to formally using children’s home languages in the classroom to ensure equity and optimum learning benefits. LLF has been working as a pioneer organization in the domain of multilingual education in the country. To address the home-school language gap, LLF has been running its Multilingual Education (MLE) Demonstration Programs in various districts of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan with children of grades 1, 2 and 3. The interventions also include a comprehensive research component focused on developing critical understanding around key issues related to multilingual education and generating evidence in Indian contexts. Apart from this, the LLF has been advocating a Multilingual Education Approach to achieve the goals of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) in other states. LLF also works in partnership with the NCERT, states and several eminent organizations on various MLE initiatives, like developing and implementing courses, capacity building of teachers and administrators, conducting language surveys and research studies, documentation of processes and practices, making public goods (videos/handbooks/playbooks/guidelines), developing children’s literature, policy, and advocacy etc.
LLF’s work in Odisha:
The Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) has been actively supporting, since 2020, the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) and Directorate of Teacher Education and State Council Of Educational Research & Training (TE&SCERT) of the School & Mass Education (S&ME) Department in Odisha to enhance Foundational Literacy and Numeracy through the NIPUN Odisha Program. LLF contributes through teaching-learning materials development, continuous professional development of DIETs and CRCCs, teacher professional development and multilingual education initiatives. It strengthens multilingual education by conducting language surveys and creating multilingual resources. Through these efforts, LLF is fostering an inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive education system in Odisha.
Position Summary:
The Block Academic Coordinator will report to the District Program Coordinator and will be based out of their respective districts. The Block Academic Coordinator will be responsible for all the academic aspects of Multilingual Education in the respective district’s MLE project schools.
Key responsibilities:
Overall
- S/he will work as a part of the LLF team and will take overall responsibility for the field implementation projects in all academic aspects.
- Develop and execute a plan for continuous professional development of the District/Block resource group of the project district/blocks.
- Develop workshop design, facilitation modules and workshop materials for professional development of the DIETs/ BEOs/ ABEOs, BRCCs, CRCCs, and teachers.
- Facilitate MLE sessions in professional development workshops/training for DRGs/BRCCs/CRCCs, Headmasters, and Teachers.
- Design assessment tools, classroom observation tools, and other required monitoring formats in consultation with the State team.
- Conduct regular joint field visits with CRCCs and provide mentoring support to them in tracking teachers’ performance and support collectively to promote their competence through hands-on support or counselling.
- Provide guidance and support to the team in tracking children’s performance cumulatively to ensure their performance in L1 and L2 oral and written.
Planning and Review
- Monthly basis review of annual plan and progress of academic activities with District Project Manager and State team.
- Need-based support to the district, state, and central team in program design, planning & review.
- Monthly/Quarterly/Annual reporting of the program activities and academic processes and sharing the report with the District Program Manager.
- Monthly basis meeting with DPM in consultation with the Program Manager.
- Any other work suggested by the District Program Manager, MLE State Academic team and State Manager.
Monitoring & Evaluation (Data management)
- Manage data of all assessments (informal, periodic, third party) and share with the State Manager on a monthly/quarterly basis.
- Analyse and interpret the data in consultation with the state team and share the findings with stakeholders.
- Facilitate Joint planning and field visits with district & block level monitoring and supporting the team of education department.
School Monitoring
- Ensure observation in schools (15 days) every month (Non-Negotiable).
- Fill in the monitoring format in Excel or the app of all schools visited.
- Update data of monitoring visits by officials, BRCCs, CRCCs, etc, to the state team.
Qualifications, Skills, and Abilities:
- Graduation or equivalent degree required. Preferably in social science background.
- Knowledge and experience of working with the local languages of Koraput Kuwi, is prefred. Knowledge on Desia, Lariya, Paraja, Gadaba, Bhatri, Bhuiyan, Bhumiya, Gondi, Bengali, and Halbi—would be an added advantage.
- 3-5 years’ experience of working in education projects that involve capacity building of teachers and teacher educators and curriculum development.
- Deep knowledge and understanding of Multilingual Education and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
- Good Training knowledge and Facilitation skills.
- Good understanding of developing instruction design framework.
Desired Qualities:
- Entrepreneurial spirit and ‘can-do attitude and open to feedback’.
- Experience of work in early grades/primary education projects is desirable.
- Problem solving and resilience.
- Stakeholder management and influencing ability.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks at a time.
Compensation:
Competitive as per sector’s standards.
LLF is an equal opportunity employer. Women and differently abled persons are encouraged to apply.