Several Peace Corps Response Volunteers (PCRVs) are needed to serve as Literacy Support Specialists with the Quality Assurance Development Services (QADS) department of the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture (MoEYSC) in various District Education Centres (DEC) and substations around Belize. QADS has programs related to curriculum development and implementation, early childhood education and development, and literacy and secondary school supervision. Its work in literacy is guided by the Belize Education Sector Strategy and the Draft National Literacy Strategy (NLS). The current focus of the NLS is to ensure that all eight-year-old children are either reading at or above grade level or are the subject of a reading intervention. In 2018, the Belize MoEYSC expanded its literacy screening and intervention system for Standard One (U.S. Grade 2) students to all schools nationwide. This expansion of the literacy screening and intervention system was in collaboration with DECs and supported by PCRVs. In 2017, a cohort of four PCRVs assisted in the pilot phase of this project by helping develop and field test an intervention toolkit and providing useful data on the effectiveness of the toolkit and an accompanying screening. This new cohort of PCRVs will build capacity in the field to contribute a network of teachers who can successfully support the goals of the National Literacy Strategy.

Literacy Support Specialists, with a Bachelor's Degree including a strong literacy development component, a teaching license, and at least three years’ professional experience working in a school setting with students with or at risk of delayed literacy development literacy development are needed to work alongside Language Arts Education Officers and local teachers. The PCRVs will support QADS in developing and delivering continuous professional development workshops for Standard One teachers focused on conducting literacy screening and implementing strategies to support students who are struggling to develop literacy skills. The PCRVs will also deliver school-based coaching in literacy development to teachers, monitor the implementation of the Standard One literacy screening, assist teachers in analyzing the results, and attend and contribute to monthly planning meetings organized by QADS. The goal of this assignment is to build the capacity of the teachers to identify and address students’ literacy needs.

Please note that departure dates and other details of this project could change because of the uncertainties as Peace Corps and local partners resume volunteer operations. Candidates selected for this position will be arriving in Belize together as a group, so while the departure dates for the whole group could change, dates cannot be changed for individual candidates.

Quality Assurance Development Services (QADS) of the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture (MoEYSC)

• High tolerance for ambiguity and high level of flexibility – some details of this project could change because of the uncertainties as Peace Corps and local partners resume volunteer operations
• Bachelor’s Degree with strong literacy development component
• Three years of experience working in a school setting with students with or at risk of delayed literacy development
• Licensed teacher (active or inactive)
• Ability to travel independently to schools in urban, near rural and remote rural areas, usually by public bus and in some cases walking some distance will be required.