NUMERACY SPECIALIST - DEMO
Organisation: Language and Learning Foundation (LLF)
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Employment Type: Full-time
Reporting to: State Program Manager, Uttar Pradesh
About Language and Learning Foundation (LLF)
Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) is a New Delhi-based non-governmental organisation working to strengthen foundational language, literacy, numeracy, and children’s capacity to think and reason. LLF works closely with state governments to design, implement, and institutionalise evidence-informed approaches for improving foundational learning outcomes.
LLF believes that children learn best when teaching responds to their linguistic, cognitive, and developmental contexts. The organisation works across multiple states in partnership with government systems and development partners to strengthen teacher capacity, improve classroom practices, develop contextualised teaching-learning resources, and support systemic improvements in foundational education.
About the Uttar Pradesh Programme
LLF is working with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to strengthen the implementation of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)mission. The programme focuses on strengthening the capacities of state and district academic resource groups, Academic Resource Persons (ARPs), teachers, and other education stakeholders to improve foundational learning outcomes in Hindi and Mathematics.
LLF also works directly with selected districts and demonstration schools to strengthen classroom practices, provide academic support to teachers and field teams, generate evidence on effective practices, and contribute to sustainable improvements within the government education system.
About the Position
The Numeracy Specialist Demo will be a key member of LLF’s academic team in Uttar Pradesh and will provide academic and technical support in foundational numeracy.
The Specialist will work closely with the state team and district academic teams. The role will focus on strengthening the conceptual and pedagogical understanding of foundational numeracy, developing high-quality teaching-learning resources, designing professional development interventions, supporting data-informed academic decisions, and strengthening classroom practices.
The ideal candidate will combine strong mathematical knowledge with a deep understanding of how children develop mathematical concepts and will be able to translate this understanding into effective teacher support, classroom practices, and system-level academic interventions.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Academic Leadership in Numeracy
- Provide academic and technical leadership for foundational numeracy initiatives across LLF’s Uttar Pradesh programmes.
- Strengthen approaches to early-grade mathematics, with a focus on number sense, mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and mathematical communication.
- Support state and district academic teams in strengthening numeracy pedagogy and classroom support.
- Analyse existing programme approaches, identify gaps, and recommend evidence-informed improvements.
- Contribute to academic planning, innovation, and knowledge development in foundational numeracy.
2. Teaching-Learning Materials and Academic Resources
- Lead the design, development, review, and refinement of numeracy-focused TLMs, worksheets, teacher guides, assessment resources, and classroom support materials.
- Ensure materials are aligned with curriculum expectations, learning progressions, and children’s developmental needs.
- Develop resources that promote conceptual understanding, reasoning, problem-solving, manipulatives, games, and activity-based learning.
- Use classroom and field evidence to continuously improve teaching-learning resources.
3. Professional Development and Capacity Building
- Design and facilitate professional development programmes for SRGs, SIEMAT/DIET teams, district and block resource groups, ARPs, teachers, Head Teachers, and internal team.
- Develop workshop designs, facilitation guides, training modules, and participant materials.
- Build the capacity of Master Trainers and academic resource personnel to provide effective numeracy-focused support to teachers.
- Support teachers and academic teams in understanding children’s mathematical thinking, common misconceptions, and effective pedagogical responses.
- Provide ongoing mentoring and academic support beyond formal training programmes.
4. Strengthening Classroom Practice
- Support the implementation of evidence-informed numeracy practices in foundational classrooms.
- Conduct classroom observations and provide constructive academic feedback to teachers and field teams.
- Strengthen the use of manipulatives, activities, discussion, reasoning, and problem-solving in mathematics classrooms.
- Identify persistent classroom challenges and design targeted academic support interventions.
Guide district and block teams in effective classroom observation and academic support processes.
5. Assessment and Data-Informed Support
- Design and review foundational numeracy assessment tools in consultation with the central academic team.
- Support the development of classroom observation and monitoring tools.
- Analyse student learning and programme data to identify learning gaps, trends, and priority areas.
- Facilitate data-informed discussions with state and district teams and support the design of targeted academic interventions.
- Use evidence from assessments, classroom observations, and field implementation to improve programme strategies.
6. District Technical Assistance and Field Engagement
- Provide technical assistance to LLF district teams and demonstration projects on foundational numeracy.
- Regularly visit demonstration schools and programme sites to observe classroom practices and implementation.
- Participate in teacher training, academic workshops, review meetings, and district-level planning processes.
- Work with district and block teams to identify implementation challenges and develop practical solutions.
- Support programme teams in achieving agreed academic outcomes and deliverables within timelines.
7. Planning, Review, Documentation, and Reporting
- Develop activity plans for numeracy-focused technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives.
- Track progress against approved annual and quarterly plans.
- Participate in monthly, quarterly, and annual programme reviews.
- Document key academic processes, innovations, field learnings, and emerging evidence.
- Prepare regular programme updates and reports for the Program Manager and State Manager.
- Provide need-based support to state and central teams in programme design, planning, and review.
8. Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with government academic and administrative stakeholders to support effective implementation of FLN initiatives.
- Build professional relationships with SIEMAT, DIETs, SRGs, ARPs, BEEOs, Shikshak Sankuls, Head Teachers, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Represent LLF in academic forums, workshops, consultations, and discussions related to foundational numeracy.
- Share effective practices and learning emerging from LLF’s programmes.
Qualifications and Experience Essential
- Postgraduate degree or equivalent qualification, preferably in Mathematics or a related discipline.
- 7–10 years of relevant experience in education programmes, preferably involving foundational learning, mathematics education, teacher professional development, academic support, or material development.
- Strong conceptual understanding of foundational numeracy and early-grade mathematics pedagogy.
- Demonstrated experience in teacher training, facilitation, academic resource development, or capacity building.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret learning and programme data.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
- Fluent in spoken and written Hindi, with working proficiency in English.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Hindi typing proficiency.
- Travel extensivelyto programme districts as required.
Preferred:
- Experience working in early-grade or primary education.
- Experience with FLN or foundational mathematics programmes.
- Experience developing mathematics TLMs, worksheets, teacher guides, assessment tools, or training resources.
- Experience working with government education structures such as DIETs, SIEMAT, SRGs, ARPs, or other teacher-support systems.
- Experience in classroom observation, academic mentoring, and school-based support.
Desired Professional Qualities
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Strong mathematical thinking and the ability to connect mathematical concepts with children’s learning processes.
- Child-centred orientation and genuine interest in understanding children’s mathematical thinking and misconceptions.
- Academic curiosity and willingness to engage with evidence and continuously improve practice.
- Strong facilitation and collaboration skills with diverse stakeholders.
- Problem-solving and ownership, with a proactive and solution-oriented approach.
- Adaptability and resilience in dynamic field environments.
- Reflective practice and openness to feedback.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining academic quality.
- Commitment to improving foundational learning outcomes for children.