Plain-language guides for teachers, heads of inclusion and parents in the UAE — what the regulators expect, how to run the paperwork without drowning in it, and techniques worth trying this week. Every page is reviewed by our clinical lead before it is published; none of it is a diagnosis.
Regulation and inspection — KHDA, ADEK and UAE law
- ADEK inclusion policy: what schools must do — What ADEK asks of Abu Dhabi private schools: admissions, the inability-to-accommodate route, inclusion teachers and assistants, plans and evidence.
- KHDA inclusion rating and the Dubai framework — What KHDA inspectors judge under the inclusion rating, the ten standards of the 2017 Dubai framework, and the roles and records a school needs to show.
- Students of Determination: the UAE term explained — Where the UAE term comes from, the law behind it, the categories recognised, and what it means for a teacher or parent in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Running inclusion — the school's own systems
- Assess, Plan, Do, Review in UAE schools — How the graduated approach works day to day in Dubai and Abu Dhabi schools, what each stage produces, and the mistakes that stall the cycle.
- EAL or SEN? Telling the difference — How to tell whether a child is struggling because English is an additional language, because of a special educational need, or both, and what to do while you find out.
- Head of Inclusion in the UAE: the role explained — What a Head of Inclusion, SENCO or inclusion lead does in a Dubai or Abu Dhabi school, what the regulators expect of the role, and a first-90-days plan.
- IEP template for UAE schools — A practical Individual Education Plan template for Dubai and Abu Dhabi schools: the sections that matter, measurable targets and a review cycle that lasts.
- The inclusion register: what to keep — What a school inclusion register should contain, how KHDA and ADEK use it, and how to keep it accurate without a spreadsheet nobody trusts.
Notable techniques — what to try in the classroom and at home
- A dyslexia-friendly classroom — Practical adjustments for reading and writing difficulties that help every child: text and layout, instructions, marking, assistive tools, what to track.
- ADHD-friendly routines for class and home — Routines that help children with attention, impulse and activity difficulties: clear starts and ends, movement built in, seating, positive attention, tracking.
- Autism-friendly transitions and sensory awareness — How to make changes of activity, place and adult easier for autistic children, how to read sensory needs in a busy classroom, what to track, when to escalate.
- Chunking tasks for working memory — How to break instructions and tasks into chunks a child can hold, why it works, how to do it without lowering expectations, and how to tell if it helps.
- Emotional check-ins and calm-down plans — Help a child notice how they feel, choose a strategy before they explode, and recover afterwards: check-ins and a personal calm-down plan at school and home.
- Visual timetables and now-next boards — How to use a visual timetable and a now-next board so a child knows what is happening and what comes next: set-up, mistakes, what to track, when to escalate.
Families — working with school
- Parent and school communication: the weekly loop — A weekly rhythm for families and schools supporting a child with additional needs: what to share, what to ask, how to keep it short, how it feeds the review.