Sakhnin College

The objective of this study was to understand how Arab women in Israel experience one of the most significant transitions in their lives, pregnancy and childbirth, who have undergone transitions toward modernity in their traditional society. The study included questionnaire to determine whether each woman has more traditional or modernized tendencies within the traditional Arab society. The study included 202 women, After the women expressed their willingness to participate in the study, five sessions were held: Immediately after marriage – modernization questionnaire, During the last two months of pregnancy – EPDS questionnaire, During the final month of pregnancy – EPDS questionnaire, After on one month of the delivery- EPDS questionnaire and After six months of the delivery- EPDS questionnaire It clearly revealed a modernization trend among Arab women in Israel. This study found that 12% to 15% of the sample suffered from PPD. It showed that modern women suffered from more severe depression after delivery than their traditional peers did. Nearly all the women diagnosed with PPD were closer to the modern end of the spectrum. When symptoms were discovered in traditional women, the changes in their behavior appeared to be more of an overall conclusion of this study. This study emphasizes the need for intervention programs to support the changes that women in Arab society in Israel are undergoing. The findings enable the early detection of the population at risk for PPD.

All Arabic-speaking children grow up in diglossia. They use a Spoken Arabic (SpA) variety for everyday speech but Modern Standard Arabic (StA), a linguistically distant variety, for all literacy-related spheres of use including reading and writing. Given this sociofunctional complementarity, children are continuously required to shift between the spoken and standard varieties. The study tested the contribution of executive functions (EFs) and of linguistic and metalinguistic skills in SpA and StA to listening comprehension (LC) in StA among kindergarten children. A total of 775 Palestinian Arabic-speaking children were tested on LC and sentence processing in StA, on EFs (inhibition, switching, memory), and on parallel linguistic (vocabulary and lexico-phonological representations) and metalinguistic (phonological and morphological awareness) skills in SpA and in StA independently. Structural equation modeling showed that all three EF skills were indirectly related to LC via linguistic and metalinguistic skills in SpA and StA, yet working memory showed a direct contribution as well. With respect to linguistic and metalinguistic skills, the results showed that these were interrelated across the two language varieties. Moreover, SpA skills were related to LC indirectly, via their corresponding skills in the StA, yet importantly also directly. The study demonstrates the centrality of EFs in LC in StA. Furthermore, they underscore the interdependence of linguistic and metalinguistic skills in SpA and StA as well as the direct and indirect contribution of language and metalinguistic skills in the spoken variety to comprehension in StA. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.30676223.

This study examined the cultural differences in Jewish and Arab teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion in Israeli schools. It addressed the role of teacher training and professional development in shaping attitudes while considering the socio-cultural context. The research involved 1214 teachers. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their views on aspects of inclusion. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA tests to examine the interaction between cultural background, training type (in special education or standard education), and professional development. The findings revealed that Jewish teachers generally reported more positive attitudes toward inclusion. Special education training and recent professional development in special education enhanced positive teacher attitudes uniformly for both groups. However, Arab teachers showed less positive perceptions, possibly due to resource limitations and cultural factors. The study suggests professional development plays a crucial role in shaping teachers’ attitudes. Tailored professional development programs addressing the unique needs of teachers in different cultural and resource contexts are essential for fostering effective inclusive education.

This article examines the story of a private Palestinian Arab school Al-Dusturiyyah that was established in Palestine during the end of Ottoman rule, in Jerusalem in 1909, by the influential educator Khalil Sakakini (al-Sakakini). My main argument is that this Arab national democratic school was ahead of its time and was a pioneer in terms of the educational principles and progressive educational philosophy that stood behind its establishment. Furthermore, I argue that it was a significant testimony to the awareness of some enlightened and progressive Palestinian educators to the weakness and failure of the Ottoman government schools in Palestine and to their vigorous efforts to establish an alternative modern Palestinian Arab Education. Very little has been written about this important and influential school. Hence the importance in writing this article as part of the serious effort made during the last few decades by Palestinian and non-Palestinian scholars to refute the malicious claim that in Palestine there was not a Palestinian people but a group of primitive divided people devoid of any culture or education.

The research aims to integrate selected short scenes from the film "The Message" by Mustafa Akkad as an educational tool in micro-teaching processes in various educational subjects such as: communication, civilization, general culture, history, geography, social education, religion, homeland and society, rights, Arabic language, and others. The study is basically based on dividing the film "The Message" by the great Syrian-American director (Mustafa Akkad) - may God have mercy on him - into ten parts; each part is a short scene cut from the film. They were shown to student and teachers (231 in number) in an Arab College of Education for teacher training, so that they could arrange them in ascending order from (1) to (10) according to their importance, the most beautiful, the best, and the strongest - in their opinion - then explaining the reasons for this arrangement, and the students' reactions after watching the parts cut from the film. The current study also proposes another approach to how to deal with the short cinematic scenes and clips from the movie “The Message” and transform them from visual scenes into a scenario (written text) that can be integrated into “meaningful” education in the style of the micro-teaching method, taking into consideration the difficulty of the matter that it is not possible to show the entire movie “The Message” to the audience of students and the target groups, due to its long duration, which is approximately three and a half hours. 231 individuals participated in the study: 89 teachers in the complementary track and 142 fourth-year students in the regular track at an Arab college of education from all specializations: The participants in the course "Arab-Islamic Civilization" were given the task of choosing the most beautiful and best short scene they liked from the film "The Message" by Moustapha Al-Akkad to prepare model practical lessons in the style of the micro-teaching method and integrate them into various educational topics. The results of the study indicated that the teacher's integration and use of selected scenes and short clips from a documentary film, which are short films - in the style of the micro-teaching method - stimulates students' motivation in education, contributes to their perseverance, prevents their dropout and improves their academic achievement.

The purpose of this article is to examine the fate of Palestinian-owned books and libraries looted or confiscated in 1948 and subsequently transferred to the National Library and the Hebrew University. At the beginning of the twentieth century, private and public libraries were an integral part of a process of modernization in Palestinian society. During the 1948 war, these libraries, both private and public, were transferred to the National Library of Israel. This transfer, which could have been considered a preservation operation, took on a new dimension when the question of the books' return to their owners was no longer raised. The identification of these books under the title “AP” (Abandoned Property) marked their definitive entry into the national collections, hindering the possibility of their eventual restitution. These controversial issues have been raised throughout the troubled history of these collections.

This research is aimed at exploring the influence of Bedouin culture on the development of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speaking skills in high school Arab students residing in Israel's Negev region, as perceived by educators. To achieve this, the study involves conducting interviews with experienced English teachers and delving into various cultural factors, including the impact of dialects and accents in students' first language (L1), parental education levels, socioeconomic status, and gender dynamics. The findings shed light on the intricate relationship between culture and language proficiency, revealing that students' strong attachment to their native dialects and accents can present challenges in acquiring English-speaking skills. Furthermore, the research highlights the significance of parental education, with higher levels of parental education positively correlated with students' speaking abilities. Socioeconomic status emerges as a notable influencer of language resources, which, in turn, affects language development and proficiency. Additionally, gender dynamics come into play, showing how cultural norms can influence male and female students differently in their language learning activities. These results underscore the importance of employing culturally sensitive approaches to language education, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers striving to enhance EFL speaking skills in students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

This research project undertakes a comprehensive examination of the intersection between nature and religion in Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Employing an ecofeminist position, the study meticulously analyzes five pivotal poems: “A Bird came down the Walk”, “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass”, “Because I could not stop for Death”, “Some keep the Sabbath going to Church” and “The World is not Conclusion”. The research includes a comparative analysis, not only within Dickinson’s own body of work but, when pertinent, with the works of other poets sharing similar thematic elements. This dual approach aims to unveil patterns and themes that underscore the intricate interconnectedness of gender, nature, and spirituality within Dickinson’s verses. The findings contribute significantly to existing scholarship by addressing gaps in the literature and illuminating Dickinson’s unique contributions to 19th-century American poetry. The discussion extends beyond historical contexts, emphasizing the relevance of Dickinson’s insights to contemporary discussions on the interplay between nature and religion.