In short
- The Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties (SCLD) in the United Arab Emirates is a member of the International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations (IFDDA).
- It is IFDDA’s first member in the Arab world.
- The center was established in 2016 by decree of the Ruler of Sharjah and operates under Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services.
- It serves children and adults of every nationality living in the UAE, from assessment to family counseling and teacher training.
The International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations welcomes a new member: the Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties (SCLD) in the United Arab Emirates.
This is our first member in the Arab world, and it is a government center, which makes it a rare kind of partner. Most dyslexia and dyscalculia organizations start as parent initiatives or volunteer groups. The Sharjah Center was created by decree of the Ruler of Sharjah, with its own legal personality and its own budget, to serve people with learning differences of every age and every nationality living in the UAE [1][2]. That is the kind of institutional backing our field rarely gets.
Who is the Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties?
The Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties was established by Emiri Decree No. 49 of 2016, issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah [1]. According to its chair, the center opened within two months of the Ruler’s directive [3]. It operates as an autonomous entity under Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, whose Director-General, Sheikha Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, chairs the center [2]. The center is located in the Wasit suburb of Sharjah and is directed by Dr. Hanadi Al Suwaidi.
In their own words, from their membership application:
The Sharjah center for learning difficulties supports individuals with learning difficulties and their families. We provide assessment and diagnosis, counselling, and educational, psychological, and social support. We also work with schools and other educational institutions to raise awareness, build professional capacity, and promote the inclusion and empowerment of individuals with learning difficulties.
What does the SCLD do?
The center’s slogan is “We are your advocates to education.” Its stated vision is to be the leading center for advocacy, inclusion, and empowerment of people with learning differences in the UAE and the Arab world. In practice, the center:
- assesses children and adults with learning differences and monitors the progress of enrolled students,
- offers family counseling, career advice, social and psychological support, and a self-advocacy program,
- provides speech and language services, assistive technology, and further specialist support under one roof,
- trains teachers and specialists, advises schools and institutions, and runs school visits and a parents council,
- and has hosted three Learning Difficulties Conferences and two virtual forums, alongside lectures, workshops, and its own publications [4].
Why it matters for IFDDA
With the Sharjah Center, the federation gains its first member in the Gulf region and the Arabic-speaking world, and a partner that combines assessment, support, teacher training, and public awareness in a single publicly funded institution.
Most of what is published about dyslexia and dyscalculia describes learners of English. Arabic has its own script and its own challenges, and a center that assesses and supports Arabic-speaking learners every day brings knowledge to the federation that most of our members do not have. We look forward to learning from it.
The International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations (IFDDA) is a non-profit federation incorporated in Florida in 2011. It connects dyslexia and dyscalculia associations worldwide, and its members exchange knowledge, methods, and experience across borders. The American Dyslexia Association, which publishes this blog, is a member; the ADA-accredited Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program follows the IFDDA training standards. For background on how the federation approaches training, read Approaches to Dyslexia Training.
You can find the Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties at www.scld.ae/en, and all IFDDA members at ifdda.org.
If you run a non-profit dyslexia or dyscalculia organization and would like to join the federation, membership is free. Apply at ifdda.org.
More IFDDA member news
- The Dyscalculia Network (England)
- Jamaica Dyslexia Association (Jamaica)
- Africa Dyslexia Organisation (Ghana)
Frequently asked questions
The Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties (SCLD) is a government center in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, that supports children and adults with learning differences and their families. Website: scld.ae.
The center was established in 2016 by Emiri Decree No. 49 of 2016, issued by the Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi.
The center serves people with learning differences of every age and every nationality living in the UAE, both Emiratis and expatriates, and their families.
Non-profit dyslexia and dyscalculia organizations can apply for free membership at ifdda.org.
Sources
- Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties: official website, Center Establishment (Decree). scld.ae
- Gulf News: New centre for learning difficulties promises affordable services. gulfnews.com
- Sharjah24: SCLD five years of harvesting fruitful achievements, September 13, 2021. sharjah24.ae
- Gulf Today: Sharjah Ruler attends launch of Learning Difficulties Forum, October 28, 2023. gulftoday.ae
