US EDUCATION SPECIALIST REACHES SAUDI TEACHERS AND

UNCLAS RIYADH 009568 SIPDIS SIPDIS DHAHRAN SENDS STATE FOR NEA/PPD - CWHITTLESEY PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL KPAO KMPI SA SUBJECT: US EDUCATION SPECIALIST REACHES SAUDI TEACHERS AND PARENTS ¶1. (U) Summary: A Specialist Program focused on 'best practices' training for special education teachers in the Eastern Province from Nov. 26th to Dec. 7th 2005. This program influenced the teaching of over 300 students. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Special Education Specialist Dr. Sue Sheridan ran a week-long workshop for teachers of students with autism. She spent a second week training teachers, students, and parents in the cities of Jubail, Dammam, and Hofuf. Men were invited to listen in from a separate room during her speaking engagements. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Dr. Sue Sheridan first ran a week-long workshop at the Prince Sultan Center for Rehabilitation in Dammam. Over sixty men and women attended the workshop on teaching people with autism, some coming from as far away as Khafji near the Kuwaiti border. Men and women were in separate rooms, with an audio feed connecting the two. One teacher commented, "It's nice to have the men listening to a woman for once." ¶3. (U) In the second week of her visit, Dr. Sheridan trained teachers at the new Center for Autism in Dammam for three days, worked at the Center for Autism in Jubail on Tuesday, and spent a full day in Hofuf on Wednesday, giving a 3-hour lecture to over 100 students, teachers, parents and professors at the Ministry of Education Girls Administration Building. Many attendees came from the Special Education degree program at nearby King Faisal University, which had declined to welcome us on their campus. Men were invited to listen in to the lecture in an adjoining room. For the first time, the men listened to a female lecturer, although women often participate in this way when men are invited to speak. The Director for Special Education in Hofuf explained her decision to invite the men, saying "if King Abdullah can meet with women in his office, then we can have the men listen in to the lecture." ¶4. (U) In all of Dr. Sheridan's activities, the audience response was overwhelmingly positive and grateful. People seemed desperate for this information, with more questions than there was time to answer. Dr. Sheridan was interviewed by Saudi TV 2 for a program that aired on December 9th 2005. Throughout the program, we distributed information about other Public Diplomacy programs and activities in Saudi Arabia. Many of the people we met during this program had never interacted with an American before. ¶5. (U) Comment: Within the challenging operating environment in Saudi Arabia, programming of this kind can be very useful. Involving a highly educated and articulate woman, this program provided a real service to the community and introduced many people to a side of the United States that is not often portrayed in the Saudi media. Events like this can effectively serve USG public diplomacy interests. End Comment. (APPROVED: ASGARD) GFOELLER