Psihologie Educațională Social, Emotional
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Psihologie revistă științifico - practică, 2019, nr. 1-2 (34) ISSN 1857-2502; ISSNE 2537-6276. Categoria B PSIHOLOGIE EDUCAȚIONALĂ SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND SCHOOL ADAPTATION OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN ARAB SECTOR (ISRAEL): INTERVENTION PROGRAM INTEGRAREA SOCIALĂ, EMOȚIONALĂ ȘI ȘCOLARĂ A COPIILOR CU DIFICULTĂȚI DE ÎNVĂȚARE DIN SECTORUL ARAB (ISRAEL): PROGRAM DE INTERVENȚIE Rada SARHAN ABD EL, PhD student, ULIM, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Teachers team manager working with students who are blind / visually impaired, Lecturer at Bet Berl College, State of Israel Adelina ȘTEFÂRȚA, dr., assocciated professor, ULIM, Republic of Moldova CZU: 376.5(569.4) Abstract Keywords: learning difficulties; social adaptation; Arab families; interven- tion program; relationships; school adaptation; behavior; role of women; involve- ment and integration. This article performs an intervention program for mothers from Arab Sector of Israel who have children with learning disabilities. The intervention program has hel- ped mothers from Kafr Qasim, Kafr Bara, Tayibe, Tira, Jaljulia, Qalansawe and Zemer, Arab Sector of Israel, to improve the social, emotional and school adaptation of their children. Cuvinte-cheie: dificultăți de învățare; adaptare socială; familii arabe; pro- gram de intervenție; relații; adaptara școlară; comportament; rolul femeilor; im- plicarea și integrarea. Astract În acest articol este prezentat programul de interventie destinat mamelor din Sectorul Arab din Israel care au în grijă copii cu dificultati de învățare. Programul de intervenție a ajutat mamele din localitățile Kafr Qasim, Kafr Bara, Tayibe, Tira, Jaljulia, Qalansawe și Zemer, Sectorul Arab din Israel să imbunatațească adaptarea sociala, emoțională și școlară a copiilor lor. Until now the attitudes of mothers in the Arab sector in Israel who have children with learning disabilities have not been researched as far as this disability and the variables connected to the forming of those attitudes concerns. Our research examines the attitu- des towards disability connected to demographic and socio-economic variables. In ad- 10 Psihologie revistă științifico - practică, 2019, nr. 1-2 (34) ISSN 1857-2502; ISSNE 2537-6276. Categoria B dition, the contribution of the level of mot- questionnaires given to the research of the hers’ knowledge about disability and over whole population. The presence of each dealing with it are examined, reflecting the meeting was good, only 2-3 participants level of integration of children with lear- were missing at each meeting. The par- ning disability. The current literature has ticipation in the program was contingent showed the connection between women’s on arrival to the opening meeting and status and the level of its influence on the participation in at least 3 meetings. The level of integration of child with learning control group included mothers from the disabilities. Parents’ attitudes in general same schools who did not participate in and mothers’ attitudes in particular and any intervention. They only filled in the the level of their intervention in treating questionnaires (in September and again in learning disability are a significant step in mid-December). the level of integration of child with lear- The meetings program: since the atti- ning disabilities. In this article we have tude and behavior towards the child with proposed a description of an intervention learning disabilities is influenced by deep program being performed with the partici- emotional perceptions, it is right to work pation of mothers of kids with disabilities on unconscious perceptions both on the from Kafr Qasim, Kafr Bara, Tayibe, Tira, cognitive level and in order to provide Jaljulia, Qalansawe and Zemer, Arab Sec- knowledge. The program was performed tor of Israel. We spoke to 30 women that on three levels: we had previously mapped them by pho- 1. To influence the cognitive and ver- ne, explaining them the program’s nature bal declarative component (mainly provi- and its goal but only 15 women responded ding knowledge), to our invitation to participate in this pro- 2. To influence the sensory and emoti- ject. We defined the group for mothers of onal component children with learning disability in order 3. To influence the component of at- to create mutual basis, focusing on mot- titudes - all these will affect attitudes and hers who have children aged between 6 to behavior. We used various methods and 18 years. tools to understand and influence the emo- The setting was pre-defined to 4 mee- tional attitude towards the subject and un- tings of 3 hours (in the afternoons) every conscious perceptions. week on Tuesdays for one month starting One of the main goal of the program from mid-September to mid-December. was to impart knowledge and tools to pa- The group was instructed in cooperation rents in order to deal with children with with the researcher and the experienced learning disabilities. The goal of the gro- group instructor. The meetings’ structure up was defined as a tool for dealing with – an hour and 15 minutes, then a 15 minu- children with learning disabilities. This tes break, and again an hour and 15 minu- was based on the assumption that incre- tes. The meeting took place in a regional asing awareness and providing tools will school where refreshments were served to help women cope better with their chil- the participants. dren and help the children in their social Measurements – the participants fil- and educational integration. Sub-goals for led in questionnaires both at the very fir- the program: (a) to impart knowledge to st meeting and at the end of the training mothers about learning disabilities and program which took place about a month the challenges of dealing with it; (b) to in- later. The questionnaires were identical to crease awareness to the perception of the 11 Rada SARHAN ABD EL, Adelina ȘTEFÂRȚA personal role of the mother in relation to the chosen object and its symbol, the other learning disabilities and understanding the participants were requested to guess why importance of the mother’s attitude and this object was chosen, an action that allo- involvement in as far as the success of the wed flooding many unaware perceptions; children conerns (increased responsibili- Meeting’s summary – what insights each ty and active approach by understanding one got from the meeting. the importance and contribution of the in- The Second meeting: opening the volvement); (c) to increase the inclusion meeting – opening round „what does each and acceptance of a child with learning one bring to the meeting”; Lecture on the disability; (d) to increase the sense of pa- topic about learning disability. This lectu- rental competence to cope with the child re dealt with conceptualization, challenges with learning disabilities and a true belief and responds (by the researcher), difficul- in the ability of children to succeed and ties of students with learning disability, achieve despite learning disabilities; (e) to the importance of education to social mo- create internal and external support sour- bility, understanding that the disability is ces - normalizing feelings and emotions not related to basic cognitive ability but to towards mothers of children with learning disorders in specific cognitive process that disabilities and providing social support. forms the basis of learning functioning, The group instructors - the group was the importance of getting recognition and co-guided by the researcher with the assis- help for success, the importance of special tance of an experienced group guide. Af- teaching adjusted to the needs and adjust- ter the first four meetings, due to the great ments that allow them to express their abi- need of the participants in the meetings, lity, the number of diagnosed students that and in order to extend the program, it was get assistance in Arab schools compared decided to continue the program. Then the to Jewish schools; Processing the lecture, meetings continued taking place once a free dialog and participants’ reference – week on Tuesdays. What did you learn? What does it mean to The First meeting - completing per- you? Meeting’s summary – what insights sonal questionnaires: each one got from the meeting. Presenting the program and its goals The Third meeting: Opening the me- and the meetings’ structure by the instruc- eting – opening round „what does each one tors; Introducing the participants – marital bring to the meeting?”; What are my chal- status, hobbies, occupation, etc.; Mutual lenges as a mother of a child with learning matching expectations about the program disability? – Observing personal challen- – what they would like to get in the pro- ges as a mother of a child with learning di- gram and why they responded to the invi- sability through pair’s exercise – mapping tation to participate; „Me as a mother of a 3 main challenges as a mother. The idea child with learning disability” – the parti- of this exercise is to allow mutual lear- cipants were requested to bring an object ning of mothers, encourage meeting with that symbolizes what is being mother of a other perceptions and meeting of active child with learning disability for them in mothers with passive mothers; what the order to raise and flood feelings about the main stresses of a mother of a child with disability (what is the disability for you? learning disability are, its influence on What feelings does it raise in you?) Met- home conduction– work in pairs on each hodologically, before a mother presented one of the stresses mentioned; Invitation 12 Psihologie revistă științifico - practică, 2019, nr. 1-2 (34) ISSN 1857-2502; ISSNE 2537-6276. Categoria B to „open space” – free speaking about di- mark goals. lemmas and case studies. The participants Meeting No. 11th dealt with the in- were invited to bring from their daily life a fluence of learning disabilities on the fa- dilemma, a problem, something that really mily structure, with an emphasis on siblin- bothered them and all other participants gs.