Dyscalculia · Dubai & UAE
Dyscalculia support, built around numbers
Specialist tutoring and assessment-led support for children whose difficulty is specifically with numbers and maths — not reading — matched to how they actually process them.
Early signs to look out for
What families often notice first.
Every child is different — this isn't a checklist for self-diagnosis, just what commonly prompts a conversation with us.
- Persistent difficulty with basic number sense — recognising quantities, comparing sizes, or counting reliably
- Strong verbal ability and reading alongside a marked, specific struggle with maths
- Trouble remembering maths facts like times tables or number bonds despite repeated practice
- Difficulty understanding maths symbols, place value, or the wording of maths problems
- Relying on finger-counting or written workings well past the age most classmates have moved on
- Anxiety or avoidance that shows up specifically around maths homework or maths class
- Difficulty judging time, estimating quantities, or handling money in everyday situations
How Special Minds helps
A plan, not a placement.
Assessment that isolates the pattern
We identify whether the struggle is specifically with numbers, rather than a broader learning difference like dyslexia, before recommending anything.
Specialist, structured maths tutoring
Concrete-to-abstract, multisensory teaching methods suited to dyscalculia, delivered one-to-one at a pace that rebuilds number confidence.
In-class LSA support
Where needed, an LSA who understands your child's specific maths difficulty supports them through the curriculum, not just general schoolwork.
Working with the school
We help translate an assessment into practical classroom accommodations — extra time, calculator use, adapted worksheets — not just a diagnosis on paper.
Support in Dubai & the UAE
Local, practical, no waitlists in the dark.
We support children across Dubai and Abu Dhabi at British, American and IB curriculum schools, each with a different process for arranging exam access arrangements or extra time, which our team knows well. Dyscalculia is easy to confuse with a broader learning difference, so if your child's struggle is mainly with reading and spelling rather than numbers, our [dyslexia and learning differences page](/learning-difficulties-dyslexia-support-dubai) is likely the better starting point.
Frequently asked
Questions parents ask us.
- Is dyscalculia just being "bad at maths"?
- No — dyscalculia is a specific, persistent difficulty with number sense and mathematical reasoning, unrelated to overall intelligence or effort. Proper assessment tells us what's actually happening.
- Is dyscalculia the same as dyslexia?
- No, though the two can occur together. Dyscalculia affects numbers and maths specifically; dyslexia affects reading and language. We assess each on its own terms.
- Do you carry out formal dyscalculia assessments?
- We work with assessment partners for formal diagnosis and can support your child with tutoring in parallel while that process happens.
- What does dyscalculia tutoring actually look like?
- Concrete, hands-on maths teaching that builds number sense step by step, rather than more repetition of the methods that haven't worked so far.
- How much does dyscalculia tutoring cost in Dubai?
- Rates depend on session frequency and whether your child also needs in-class LSA support — we'll give you a clear estimate after an initial assessment.
- Does insurance cover dyscalculia support in Dubai?
- Specialist tutoring for learning differences generally isn't covered by UAE health insurance, though a formal diagnostic assessment sometimes is — we'll help you check your specific policy.
Let's talk about dyscalculia support for your child.
No pressure, no obligation — just a conversation with our clinical lead.