Reducing educational gaps in Israel? Examining the ability to learn and experience sensations of Jewish and Arab participants in Feldenkrais lessons

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the early years of the State of Israel (since 1948), education in the Arab sector suffered from discrimination and neglect, and it is only recently (since 2015) that programs have begun reducing these gaps. The aim of the present study was to examine the existence or non-existence of gaps in ability to learn and an in sensations after performing Feldenkrais method exercises. The Feldenkrais method seeks to improve individual ability, through movement. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the responses of 21 students from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and 18 students from Kaye Academic College of Education, who practiced the method in 14 Feldenkrais lessons, showed no gaps in learning ability, and small gaps in sensations.