diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/video_playback_cubit.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/video_playback_cubit.dart
index f86e6c4..1d423e7 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/video_playback_cubit.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/video_playback_cubit.dart
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ class VideoPlaybackError extends VideoPlaybackState {
 
 class VideoPlaybackCubit extends Cubit<VideoPlaybackState> {
   final CurriculumRepository _repo;
+  int _lastObservedPosition = -1;
 
   VideoPlaybackCubit({CurriculumRepository? repo})
       : _repo = repo ?? CurriculumRepository(),
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ class VideoPlaybackCubit extends Cubit<VideoPlaybackState> {
 
   Future<void> loadLesson(CurriculumLessonItemModel lesson, {SubjectModel? subject}) async {
     AppLogger.log('Loading Socratic playback for lesson: ${lesson.title}', tag: 'VIDEO_CUBIT');
+    _lastObservedPosition = -1;
     emit(VideoPlaybackLoading());
     try {
       final playback = await _repo.getLessonPlayback(lesson.markdownFilePath ?? lesson.id, subjectId: subject?.id);
@@ -97,9 +99,9 @@ class VideoPlaybackCubit extends Cubit<VideoPlaybackState> {
     if (currentState is VideoPlaybackReady && currentState.activeCheckpoint == null) {
       // Check if this second triggers a Socratic checkpoint
       for (var cp in currentState.playbackData.checkpoints) {
-        if (!currentState.passedCheckpointIds.contains(cp.id) &&
-            seconds >= cp.timestampSeconds &&
-            seconds <= cp.timestampSeconds + 2) {
+        final crossedCheckpoint = seconds >= cp.timestampSeconds &&
+            (_lastObservedPosition < cp.timestampSeconds || _lastObservedPosition > seconds);
+        if (!currentState.passedCheckpointIds.contains(cp.id) && crossedCheckpoint) {
           AppLogger.log('🚨 Socratic Checkpoint Triggered! (${cp.questionText})', tag: 'SOCRATIC_ENGINE');
           emit(currentState.copyWith(
             currentPositionSeconds: seconds,
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ class VideoPlaybackCubit extends Cubit<VideoPlaybackState> {
         }
       }
 
+      _lastObservedPosition = seconds;
       emit(currentState.copyWith(currentPositionSeconds: seconds));
     }
   }
diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/player/socratic_video_player_screen.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/player/socratic_video_player_screen.dart
index 182026b..389d77c 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/player/socratic_video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/player/socratic_video_player_screen.dart
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
   VideoPlayerController? _videoController;
   bool _isVideoInitialized = false;
   int _lastSyncedPosition = -1;
+  Timer? _controlsHideTimer;
+  bool _showVideoControls = true;
+
+  void _revealVideoControls() {
+    if (!mounted) return;
+    setState(() => _showVideoControls = true);
+    _controlsHideTimer?.cancel();
+    _controlsHideTimer = Timer(const Duration(seconds: 2), () {
+      if (mounted) setState(() => _showVideoControls = false);
+    });
+  }
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -66,6 +77,7 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
   @override
   void dispose() {
     _playbackTicker?.cancel();
+    _controlsHideTimer?.cancel();
     _watermarkController.dispose();
     _videoController?.dispose();
     super.dispose();
@@ -131,6 +143,7 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                     setState(() {
                       _isVideoInitialized = true;
                     });
+                    _revealVideoControls();
                     if (state.isPlaying && state.activeCheckpoint == null) {
                       _videoController!.play();
                     }
@@ -220,7 +233,12 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                           ),
                         ],
                       ),
-                      child: ClipRRect(
+                      child: MouseRegion(
+                        onHover: (_) => _revealVideoControls(),
+                        child: GestureDetector(
+                          behavior: HitTestBehavior.translucent,
+                          onTap: _revealVideoControls,
+                          child: ClipRRect(
                         borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(24),
                         child: Stack(
                           children: [
@@ -263,7 +281,7 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                                     ),
                                   ),
                                   // Center Lesson Title & Visuals
-                                  Center(
+                                  if (_showVideoControls) Center(
                                     child: Column(
                                       mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
                                       children: [
@@ -342,7 +360,7 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                                     ),
                                   ),
                                   // Top Version Badge
-                                  Positioned(
+                                  if (_showVideoControls) Positioned(
                                     top: 14,
                                     right: 14,
                                     child: Container(
@@ -397,8 +415,13 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                               },
                             ),
 
-                            // Video Controls Overlay (Bottom)
-                            Align(
+                            // Video Controls Overlay (Bottom), hidden after inactivity.
+                            IgnorePointer(
+                              ignoring: !_showVideoControls,
+                              child: AnimatedOpacity(
+                                opacity: _showVideoControls ? 1 : 0,
+                                duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 220),
+                                child: Align(
                               alignment: Alignment.bottomCenter,
                               child: Container(
                                 padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 16, vertical: 12),
@@ -498,11 +521,15 @@ class _SocraticVideoPlayerScreenState extends State<SocraticVideoPlayerScreen> w
                                   ],
                                 ),
                               ),
+                                ),
+                              ),
                             ),
                           ],
+                          ),
                         ),
                       ),
                     ),
+                    ),
                     const SizedBox(height: 20),
 
                     // Remediation Feedback Alert (if triggered)
diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/widgets/socratic_dialog.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/widgets/socratic_dialog.dart
index 41d5685..4ff9f0f 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/widgets/socratic_dialog.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/widgets/socratic_dialog.dart
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class _SocraticCheckpointModalState extends State<SocraticCheckpointModal> {
           mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
           crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
           children: [
-            // Top Badge: Socratic Gatekeeping Indicator
+            // Top Badge: understanding checkpoint indicator
             Row(
               mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.spaceBetween,
               children: [
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class _SocraticCheckpointModalState extends State<SocraticCheckpointModal> {
                       Icon(CupertinoIcons.sparkles, color: AppColors.saqelCyan, size: 14),
                       SizedBox(width: 6),
                       Text(
-                        'فحص الفهم السقراطي الذكي 🧠',
+                        'نقطة فهم 🧠',
                         style: TextStyle(
                           fontSize: 12,
                           fontWeight: FontWeight.w700,