Remedial Teaching Program

The remedial teaching program was established in Ghirass Cultural Center as a pilot program in year 2000. Based upon the competence gained by the director who did her master-thesis in special needs education at the University of Oslo.

The model chosen for Remedial Teaching Program is based upon Reuven Feuerstien theory and is called "mediated learning experience" which focuses on the positive aspects of the child's learning, aiming to develop cognitive abilities, understanding and consequently, intelligent and critical thinking.

Feuerstien suggests that deficient in cognitive functions and academic performances are often the results of inadequate human mediation with the child, either at home, at school or in both places. He recognized the intelligent is not fixed, but fluid and the result of many different aspects of a person's environment and personality. As a result, he developed a theory in which the teaching is also fluid and flexible. Changing and adapting according to the specific needs of the individual.

The child also enrolled in other activities in the center like the library, drama, arts, music... etc. Children come to the remedial class twice a week, always with and adult person in the family (brother, sister, mother, or father or even an uncle or aunt) who follow up the work with the child at home.

Parents meetings held once every two months, Individual meetings also are made according to the need.

Ghirass Center has a strong belief in the idea that the child should stay in his\her school and not segregate him\her from "normal schooling", but to work parallel with his\her school depending on increasing parents involvement in the child learning and choosing the suitable teaching method.

As well as the teachers in Ghirass Center makes school's visits to follow up the work with children at schools.

Since the beginning of this program, almost five hundred children from the Bethlehem region (the cities, villages and refugee camps) were involved in the program.

The program is proving a great success in the community and having a positive influence on the children's academic performance and their self concept.