Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Fellows

Salwa Kaiyal received her B.A. in social science from Bar-Ilan University in 2018, and her M.A. in conflict management and negotiation from the same institution in 2020. Over the past two years, she has been working with the business sector, providing guidance and advice in the area of diverse recruitment. She has also been working with talented individuals from the Arab community, helping to improve the candidate's experience as a DE&I Senior Talent acquisition. Salwa is  a social activist and volunteers as a mentor for students who are looking for job opportunities in the high-tech sector. 

Mais Nassar received her BA from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a double major in English and romance studies. where she also completed her MA in conflict management and resolution. Mais will be teaching Arabic at Florida State University in 2023-2024.

Due to her interest in languages and cultures Mais participated in many exchange programs in various roles. She worked as an Arabic teacher and program coordinator for international students at The Hebrew University and then as an English teacher in a bilingual school for Arab and Jewish students and as a program manager in a non-profit organization for refugees.

Mais believes that language is a key to communication within a nation, and she is working towards making a change in language teaching.

Hanan Qaddah received her MA in English language and literature from the University of Haifa.

Hanan has been teaching English for the past eight years in different schools in the Arab sector, working with students from all levels.

Arkan received her BA in English Literature and Linguistics in 2014 from University of Haifa aifaand M.Teach in English Education in 2018 from the Arab Academic College for Education in Israel - Haifa. She also received a CELTA certificate in 2016 from Teaching House College, Cambridge University, UK. Arkan is currently finishing her second year teaching English at a secondary school in Shefa’Amer.

Since 2016, Arkan has been teaching English and Arabic as foreign languages in Israel and South Korea.

Ahlam Mansour received her BA from Tel-Aviv University in 2022 with a double major in Psychology and English Literature. She will be receiving her Teaching certificate in English at the end of this academic year.

Ahlam has been teaching spoken Arabic for three years as part of a scholarship received in 2018 as part of project A.M.A.L (spoken Arabic for everyone) for teaching spoken Arabic in Jewish schools. Ahlam is the head teacher and leads a team of four female teachers professionally and socially. She is still an active member at the organization. In July 2021, Ahlam worked as an English teacher and social instructor in the summer school program, which took place at Kiryat Henoch High School (Eroni Z) in Jaffa.

From April 2021 till the present day, she has also been working as a therapeutic instructor and an English teacher in a therapeutic educational framework for at-risk youth between the ages of thirteen to eighteen who face behavioral, emotional, and learning difficulties in El Ajami neighborhood in Jaffa.

Hanin received her B.Ed in English from the Academic Arab College for Education in Haifa. Hanin is an alumna of the excellence program of Regev from the Ministry of Education. Hanin has been an English teacher in Jewish schools for the past three years. 

Katreen Damouni received her B.A in English Language and Literature from the University of Haifa in 2015 and her teaching certificate from Gordon College. She is currently finishing her fifth year as an English teacher at a Bedouin high school in the south. She will participate in the Fulbright program as an Arabic teaching assistant at Western Michigan University. She believes that language is a major cornerstone of cultural exchange and the building of today’s multicultural world. As an FLTA, she will not only grant her students a fresher and more authentic look into her culture, but also attain an informed perspective on American life and culture herself.

Adam Adeeb received his BA in English Literature and Labor Studies from Tel Aviv University. During his studies, the international environment was an integral part of his experience where he participated in the Model United Nations for three years and met with students from across the globe. He also provided private lessons in Arabic for foreign students and took part in a non-profit organization as a translator. Prior to participating in the FLTA program, Abed worked in a multinational startup company for trading, in the Arabic desk. He believes that through teaching languages, people from different nations can connect and build bridges despite cultural differences.

Maryam Farah received her B.A in English/Education from the Hebrew University. She pursued and excelled in the special teaching certificate program for outstanding students during her last year of B.A studies. Then, she completed her M.A in Special Education at the Hebrew University where she started working at The Learning Center for the Blind during her last year of studies. She instructed and helped advance EFL students with hearing/visual impairments using various methods she had acquired during her studies. This year has had the greatest impact on her. She spent the year doing what she loves the most: breaking cultural barriers through human interaction and language exchange. She was honored for her Seminar work, which examined the self-perception of non-native speakers of English in comparison to native English speakers. She currently works as an English teacher in a Jewish school and teaches students from different backgrounds and different levels that vary from LD students to native speakers. Most importantly, for Maryam, language is a way to connect with people, see their culture and bring different worlds together. 

Arwa Ayoub received her B.A in Generative Linguistics and English Literature from the Hebrew University and her Master’s degree in Translation and Research of Translation from Bar-Ilan University. She has worked in various forms of translation, including interpreting. Her most rewarding and fondest memory was working as an interpreter (2016) for the YMCA youth department, which is a program for Arab and Jewish youths. This experience solidified her strong belief that language is a bridge between cultures. She believes that separation is an illusion, and the most effective way to break that illusion is to know the other, and for that, a bridge is needed. The FLTA experience will be a great opportunity to expand her learning as well as to teach others.

Hanan Abusalih received her BA in English language and literature and in Learning, Instruction and Teacher Education from the University of Haifa in 2016. Hanan has been running her own business (English courses) since graduation, and at the same time working as an English lecturer at The College of Sakhnin for Teacher Education (the pre-academic programs), and as an English teacher at two high schools. Hana believes that learning foreign languages enables us to open up to new cultures and see the world from different viewpoints, and that being a Fulbrighter provides her with the opportunity to disseminate her knowledge of the Arabic language and culture, which she finds challenging yet very rewarding.

Serin Adawi graduated in 2015 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a Bachelor degree in English Literature and Education, and is currently completing a Master’s in English Literature. For three years, she has been teaching English as a foreign language and running English enrichment centers in the north and center of Israel. Sireen will participate in the program as an Arabic teaching assistant at Bucknell University. She strongly believes that language and culture go hand in hand, where the knowledge of one helps with the acquiring of the other. She will apply her teaching skills to help promote understanding of the Arab culture and language. She aspires to develop her teaching skills further; and hopes to learn as much as possible about the American culture and history through personal experience.

Yara Mahajna is a multidisciplinary artist. She received her B.A. in visual arts with honors from the University of Haifa, where she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in visual arts. Yara will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at Mercy College in New York. She is an alumna of the MEPI leadership program from Roger Williams University, and the community arts program in Beit Berl College with Artilution organization. Yara initiated a volunteering project that aims to create a society of well-read individuals and taught English through arts in elementary schools.She worked and volunteered as an art teacher in elementary schools and art galleries. Currently, she holds the position of public relations coordinator and teaches performance art to foreign students in the collaborative art center in Givat Haviva. Yara believes that art is a powerful tool in education, and she is working towards better-integrating arts in the public education system.

Mervat Yosef received her B.A in communication disorders from the University of Haifa in 2017. Mervat has an interest in anthropological linguistics and is looking forward to enrich her knowledge in this field through the FLTA program at Boston University. Since graduation, she has been working in a school for children with autism in attempt to understand the basis of interactions and communications within people; Mervat also works at a bilingual (Hebrew and Russian) kindergarten specializing in language and speech disorders. Her job is promoting their communication with the world by improving their speech and language.

Naila Shaqqur received her B.Ed in English Literature and Education at Gordon College of Education in Haifa. She recently finished her research in Children’s Literature and Multicultural Education. Naila will participate as an Arabic Teaching Assistant at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida with the Fulbright program, which through this experience, she will facilitate and help enhance students’ Arabic proficiency through developing their Arabic language skills. Naila believes that teaching Arabic as a foreign language will help bridge the social and cultural gaps between Americans and Arabs.

Amal Shamia received her B.Ed in English literature from Beit Berl College, Kfar Saba, Israel. She has worked as an EFL tutor years prior to the beginning of her career as an English teacher in the Negev. She is an alumni of the NESA UGRAD undergraduate program in the US, and will participate in the Fulbright FLTA program at Florida State University. During the course of this program, she will provide help by applying her teaching experience and her knowledge of the Arabic language. She is a core believer that language learning promotes acceptance and therefore a more peaceful world. She aims to contribute in building better relations amongst different cultures.

Asra (Israa) Abo-Salah completed her LLB in Law at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Asra will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at Washington and Lee University.

Walaa Shmali graduated the University of Haifa in English Literature and Linguistics and will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at the University of New Haven. 

Rim Nashef graduated Bethlehem University in English Literature and Linguistics and will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at Florida State University.

Shada Diab graduated the University of Haifa in English Literature and Linguistics and will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at Colby College.

Narmeen Salama graduated from Tel Aviv University in English Literature and Linguistics and will take part in the Fulbright FLTA program at Allegheny College.

Leena Hanna received her B.A. in English Literature at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and will participate in the FLTA program at Vassar College.