Yara Semaan

I am a special needs education graduate.

I have worked for over 7 years in the academic field as special educator and consultant in schools and academic centers. My main goal in teaching is to meet my students’ need and modify lessons to make it easier for students to grasp.

My passion in life is to project my love of teaching to the students and to help them feel more at ease in their academic performance.

I use full hands on activites with students because it has been the most successful teaching method throughout my experience.

special education needs specialist at UNRWA:

• Provide assistance to school principals, school support teams and teachers to assess, screen, identify and support students with social/emotional, behavioral, physical, sensory and learning difficulties.
• Provide assistance to the schools to refer the detected cases to therapeutical consultations where needed.
• Contribute to implementation of UNRWA inclusive education policy, strategy and toolkit.
• Prepare a plan for monthly visits in all the schools in their assigned area.
• Support in the assessment of the teachers’ needs with regard to detection, management and referral of SEN children, and design and implement professional development training accordingly.
• Assist teachers to plan, differentiate, enrich, adapt and use a wide range of classroom material to support students with special needs.
• Coordinate with school counsellors, Education specialists and the health tutors in the areas to support SEN students.
• Support the teachers and the Learning Support Program team to prepare individual education plans (IEP) to differentiate appropriate activities for SEN pupils in relation to the curriculum.
• Coordinate with kindergartens for the early detection of SEN students who will enrol in grade 1.
• Coordinate with the social workers (RSS Department) to raise awareness and follow up the cases with parents.
• Support the Education Program to coordinate with NGOs and specialists for diagnostic and therapeutic consultations needs.
• Disseminate good practice in SEN across schools.
• Collect information on the SEN students, on a monthly basis, on the database.
• Support in the tracking of the cases, and prepare reports on SEN children’s progress.
• Meeting inclusive education focal point, education involved staff and consultants to discuss the task objectives and requirements.
• Interpreting the needs of the teachers/children/parents and develop a plan of intervention to suit the purpose.

Notre Dame University - Zouk

Department of Humanities Major: Education (children with special needs)

Graduated Fall 2015