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