On May 25th, 2024, the Psychology Department organized a guest lecture to raise awareness about autism. The guest speaker was Tammie Lenert, an expert in autism and occupational therapist, who is part of the CHED course (Child Health, Education, Development) developed through a joint initiative of the UAFA organization and the Child and Human Development Center at Georgetown University, USA. The event was initiated by Sevinj Maharramova, a pedagogue-psychologist and lecturer at the Department of Psychology at Khazar University.
The guest was warmly welcomed by Malak Karimova, Coordinator of the Psychology Department and head of the Khazar Psychological Center. Tammie Lenert, with forty years of extensive international experience in occupational therapy and working with atypical children, delivered a lecture on "Autism in Inclusive Education." She discussed the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), common behaviors associated with ASD, how autism complicates learning, the importance of inclusive education, the challenges observed when working with students with ASD, and effective strategies applied in inclusive classrooms.
The lecture was attended by 70 students from the Faculty of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences, as well as staff from the Psychology Department. Based on the questions and feedback from the students, it was evident that the seminar was educational and engaging for them. The lecture helped them understand international strategies for working with autistic children in inclusive education.