A. M. Qattan Foundation’s Educational Research and Development Program published lately the first edition of the book “Pupils as Playwrights”, authored by Bryan Woolland, and translated by Haifa Abu Al-Nadi. It also issued the third edition of the book, “Pillars of Education” by Ahmed Sameh Al-Khalidi, in partnership with Al-Dar Al-Ahlia Publishing House.
Pupils as Playwrights, published with support from the Arab Theater Training Center (ATTC) is a book about playing with language. It focuses on making acquiring of language skills a happy and joyful experience. The book describes practical exercises and activities in playwriting for teachers to use with their pupils aged 6 – 13 years. It associates reading and writing learning to drama and development of conversation and listening skills in addition to providing printable material for use with the children.
Pillars of Teaching, authored by Al-Khalidi, Director of the Arab College and Teacher of Education in the same College in 1934 and a Palestinian pioneer modern pedagogue, addresses pedagogy with focus on details of the teaching process. It is a novice writing on the theoretical and application perspectives of pedagogy. A large part of the book is based on the Handbook of Suggestions for Teachers, which is a guide for teachers published by the British Teaching Council in 1928. Al-Khalidi – a proponent of shared pedagogic concepts across nations – did not hesitate to localize the material to benefit the Palestinian context, especially under the British Mandate.
It should be noted that the translation and publication component of the Qattan’s Educational Research and Development Program produces periodically Arabic and translated books and essays for teachers and other interested parties offering specialized resources on drama, theater, pedagogy and sciences.