- Introduction
About the Facilitator
Noura Jamal Sheikh Ali is a Syrian life skills and psychosocial support trainer, currently serving as the director of an orphan girls’ school in Idlib, Syria. With extensive experience supporting children who have lost parental care due to the war, she has specialized in providing emotional and educational guidance through an Islamic values-based approach. She was introduced to the FIRSTedu-ADLX framework during a learning journey designed to enhance her facilitation and training skills.
The Challenge or Problem
The orphan girls at the school faced significant psychological and social insecurity due to the loss of one or both parents. This instability deeply affected their ability to focus, integrate, and interact with religious values and life skills content. There was a pressing need for a learner-centered methodology that could elevate their emotional state and rebuild their confidence in themselves and others.
Participant Context
The learning journey targeted 100 girls aged 6 to 12, all of whom were orphans of either one or both parents. The sessions took place in a resource-limited orphanage school in Idlib. Despite the challenges, the dedicated support from the school staff played a crucial role in achieving the intended learning outcomes.
- Learning Design Overview
Why FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework?
The framework was chosen for its comprehensive structure and its ability to unlock learners’ potential—especially in emotionally and socially fragile environments. Its integrative design, blending attitude, skills, and knowledge, made it particularly suitable for restoring the learner’s sense of self-worth.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the learning journey, each learner was expected to be able to:
- Attitude Learning Outcomes:
- Sense God’s constant presence and watchfulness.
- Deepen their emotional connection with God and activate inner moral awareness.
- Skills Learning Outcomes:
- Reframe ideas and apply them with growing confidence.
- Knowledge Learning Outcomes:
- Recall and articulate values and concepts embedded in Islamic texts.
- Performance Outcome:
- Live out the belief that “Allah is my Creator, Allah is watching me, Allah is with me,” with understanding and trust.
Learning Journey Summary
The journey involved a sequence of individual and group learning activities, including interactive storytelling, cooperative tasks, and mini-presentations. The activities varied in method and complexity—from simple to more advanced—while remaining sensitive to the participants’ cultural and psychological state. The journey was conducted in-person, using a blend of structured facilitation and creative interaction.
III. Learning Activities Using the RAR Model
Here is an example of a RAR activity implemented during the journey:
Activity Title: Completing the Story
Readiness Increase
Participants were invited to sit in a circle. The facilitator initiated the activity with an open-ended sentence designed to spark imagination and curiosity: “On a sunny morning, a girl went out searching for…” Each girl was encouraged to complete the sentence with her own imagined continuation.
Activity Facilitation
The storytelling was passed around the circle, with each learner contributing to the evolving narrative. No corrections or judgments were made during the process, and the facilitator fostered an environment full of laughter, surprise, and attentive listening.
Reviewing Actively
At the conclusion of the story, participants reflected on what they enjoyed, the lesson they drew from the story, and how they might emulate the heroine. Each learner was then invited to write a sentence capturing what she learned, and these were displayed in the classroom for ongoing reflection.
- The Five Domains of the FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework
F – Focusing on Learner Behaviors
The facilitator nurtured each learner’s sense of significance through kind words, affirming stickers, and symbolic rewards. By valuing each contribution and encouraging choice, the learners began to see themselves as active agents with something valuable to offer.
I – Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
A variety of creative and interactive activities were used to enhance group cohesion—such as drawing, movement-based games, and collaborative storytelling. This created a joyful and emotionally safe space, allowing participants to engage more freely and meaningfully.
R – Reviewing Activities within RAR Modal
While all activities incorporated the RAR approach, the “Complete the Story” activity best demonstrated the full impact of readiness, engagement, and reflective meaning-making. The structured reflection helped deepen both emotional insight and the spiritual message.
S – Sequencing within the Session Flow
The session flow was intentionally crafted to build emotional readiness before exploring spiritual themes. It began with mental preparation, transitioned into storytelling, followed by group application, and concluded with reflective insight. This gradual flow helped participants move from hearing values to emotionally and practically embodying them.
T – Transforming Learning into Performance
Learners were guided to identify real-life situations where they could practice self-accountability and God-consciousness—such as telling the truth or keeping a promise. They were encouraged to plan how to apply these values in the days following the session.
- Conclusion and Reflection
Impact on Participants
The journey’s effect was evident in the learners’ excitement, ease of participation, and comfort in discussing spiritual values. One girl expressed, “I’m happy because I now know that Allah sees me and loves me.” The phrase “Allah is watching me” became a natural part of their conversations.
Impact on the Facilitator
The facilitator noted a significant shift in her own practice, gaining deeper confidence and clarity in her facilitation. Compared to her earlier approaches, she observed greater flexibility, empathy, and resonance with the learners. She also noticed increased parental engagement, with mothers inquiring how to reinforce the journey’s values at home. This affirmed her belief in the transformative potential of the FIRSTedu-ADLX framework, especially in challenging environments.
