Program Overview
As Education in the world grows in awareness of the importance of inclusive pedagogy and addressing individual needs, it also develops a greater understanding of the socializing function of education, making it important to keep students with special needs in the context of the regular classroom as much as it is feasible and suitable to their learning.
In Palestine, overcrowding in classrooms is a common challenge and teachers are rarely equipped to effectively identify, comprehend and attend to the needs of their diverse students; especially of those who require more adaptations in the contexts, processes, products and/or contents of the instruction.
It is also well known that the Ministry of Education in Palestine and its Directorates have reported financial constraints when attempting to establish resource centers and equip them with highly qualified teachers. Furthermore, many of the initiatives and projects for special and inclusive education in Palestine tend to target the early childhood stage, which is very important but requires a consistent follow up in the subsequent stages.
The program aims to provide substantial continuing theoretical and practical professional development to teachers and other professionals working with diverse learners in Palestinian mainstream schools and other educational settings to support their successful and satisfactory inclusion in schools and classrooms; to equip educators with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to allow these learners to access, participate in, and benefit from the educational experiences offered to them in an equitable way; and to prepare program participants to work collaboratively to develop the capacity of schools to include these learners integrally.
- To qualify and develop teachers and other professionals to support the inclusion of diverse learners, especially those with learning difficulties, in Palestinian schools.
- To empower educators to utilize differentiated, inclusive, and technology-enhanced educational interventions that respond to the diverse needs of students in an equitable way.
- To equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, evaluate, and address common learning difficulties present in the regular classroom.
- To foster ethical and professional principles in educational practices with people with special needs and to respect and appreciate human beings in their individualities and diversity.
- To acquire and develop the capability of developing Educational Research in the field.
Learning outcomes of this program are classified in three categories:
1- Knowledge
- Acquiring main concepts and data in Special Education, Educational Differentiation and Inclusive Education
- Understanding of and approaches to the most common learning difficulties present in the regular classroom, their causes, effects and management.
2- Skills
- Utilizing differentiated, inclusive and technology-enhanced educational intervention encompassing individually responsive planning, implementation and evaluation.
- Identifying and evaluating common learning difficulties in the regular Classroom.
- Being capable of developing Educational Research.
- Developing positive and meaningful educational relationships with students and other important actors in their environment, grounding effective educational interventions.
3- Attitudes
- Respecting and appreciating human beings in their individualities and diversity.
- Employing ethical and professional principles in educational practices with people with special needs.
- Anticipating, preparing for and innovating for the future trends, possibilities and prospects in the field as they work on the transformation of the local culture around special educational needs.
Graduates of this program can work in the following jobs:
- Pre-School Education
- Primary and Secondary Education (Teaching)
- Teacher Education and professional development.
- Parent Training
- Resource Centers
- Centers for Students with Disabilities
- Centers for Special Education
- Educational Administration and Support (Curriculum Design, adaptation, differentiation, advisory)
- Government Agencies and Ministries interested in Education
- Education-focused ONGs and International Organisms
- The applicant must hold a Bachelor’s degree or a Higher Diploma in Education or a related field. If the applicant does not hold a degree in Education, they will be required to complete remedial courses.
- The applicant must have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5 or 75%.
- Prior experience in the field is preferred.
- The applicant must demonstrate English proficiency at a B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) through a recognized assessment approved by Bethlehem University. If this level is not demonstrated at the time of registration, the applicant must enroll in a remedial English course during the first semester.
- Passing the personal interview.
- Completed admission application form.
- An official copy of the undergraduate transcript and Bachelor’s degree certificate, certified by the university and the Ministry of Higher Education.
- An official copy of the high school (Tawjihi) transcript.
- A copy of the personal ID.
- A personal photo.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- A short statement (maximum 200 words in English) in which the applicant describes their motivation and expectations regarding the program.
Application Fee: 500 NIS
Credit Hour: 620 NIS
