Hire a learning support assistant (LSA) for your child

By ShadowTeacher Team · Updated September 24, 2026

If your child's school has asked you to provide a learning support assistant, you are being asked to fund a trained adult who sits with your child in the mainstream classroom, one-to-one, for some or all of the school day. In the UAE the same person is usually called a shadow teacher. This page explains what the school expects, what an LSA does, what one costs, and how to hire a verified LSA in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the rest of the UAE.

ShadowTeacher UAE lists verified learning support assistants across all seven emirates. Every profile has had its certificates, CV, Emirates ID and police clearance checked before it appears, and parents contact candidates directly with no agency fee.

What a learning support assistant does in class

An LSA is not a second teacher and not a tutor. Their job is to keep one child included in the lesson the class teacher is delivering. Day to day that usually means:

Sitting beside your child and re-explaining the teacher's instructions in shorter, simpler steps
Adapting the worksheet or activity in front of them to the level set in the individual education plan (IEP)
Prompting attention back to the task and helping with transitions between lessons, break and assembly
Supporting communication, turn-taking and friendships so your child takes part in group work
Noticing early signs of overload or distress and using the calming strategies agreed with the school and any therapists
Recording progress against IEP targets and sharing short updates with the class teacher and with you
Stepping back deliberately as your child gains independence, so support fades rather than becoming permanent

LSA vs shadow teacher vs SEN tutor

Parents hear all three terms, and they are not interchangeable. The table shows where each one fits, so you ask the school for the right thing.

	Learning support assistant	Shadow teacher	SEN tutor
Role	One-to-one support inside the mainstream class; the term schools, KHDA and ADEK use	The same in-class role; the everyday name parents use	Teaches academic skills or therapy goals outside the classroom
Where they work	In your child's classroom, playground and assembly	Same	At home, at a centre or online, after school
Hours	School hours: the full day or the lessons the school specifies	Same	One or a few hours a week
Who pays	Usually the family, unless the school employs its own LSAs	Usually the family	The family
When a school asks for one	When a child needs consistent individual support to access lessons safely	Same	Schools rarely require one; families choose it
Typical qualifications	Diploma or degree in education, psychology or special education plus experience; LSA training is preferred in Dubai	Same	Subject-teacher or therapist qualification

What schools require before an external LSA can start

Requirements differ from school to school and by emirate, so ask the inclusion lead for the written list before you hire. Most schools ask for some or all of the following:

A CV and copies of qualifications, so the school can confirm the LSA meets its own criteria
Emirates ID, or passport and visa page, because the LSA is an adult on site every day
A police clearance certificate; some schools also ask for a medical fitness certificate
Adding the LSA to the school's approved-staff or visitor list, which can take one to two weeks
An induction on safeguarding and on the school's behaviour and IEP procedures, and sometimes the school's own LSA training
A short trial period or classroom observation before the placement is confirmed

Some schools only accept an LSA employed through an agency they already work with, while others accept a privately hired LSA once the checks above are complete. The inclusion lead or SENCO will tell you which applies, so confirm this before you agree terms with a candidate.

How much does a learning support assistant cost in the UAE?

Families agree fees directly with the LSA. The figures below come from the monthly minimum that verified teachers on ShadowTeacher UAE declare, so they reflect what candidates actually ask for rather than an agency price list.

Verified teachers across the UAE on ShadowTeacher currently ask between AED 2,000 and AED 6,500 a month (median bracket AED 4,000 to 5,000).

Full breakdown by emirate, hours and qualification: What a shadow teacher costs in the UAE

How to hire a verified LSA on ShadowTeacher UAE

Four steps, typically two to three weeks from the first message to the first day in class.

Create a parent account and browse. Filter by emirate, language, gender and specialty. Each profile shows the teacher's education, years of experience, languages and the specialties they support.
Message two or three candidates. Describe your child's needs, the school, the hours and the start date. Ask about experience with the same needs and with the curriculum your school follows.
Interview and check references. Meet in person or on a call, ask for the contact of a previous family or school, and look at the certificates yourself. Our verification checks identity and documents; the fit with your child is yours to judge.
Agree terms and start the school paperwork. Confirm hours, monthly fee, notice period and holidays in writing, then send the school the documents it listed so the LSA is on the approved-staff list before day one.

Browse verified learning support assistants

Learning support assistants by emirate

Each page names the regulator, the local school landscape and the verified LSAs currently listed in that emirate.

Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah Al Ain Ajman Ras Al Khaimah Fujairah Umm Al Quwain

LSAs by your child's needs

Teachers list the specialties they support. These pages show verified shadow teachers in Dubai filtered by need, with what to expect in class for each.

Autism ADHD Dyslexia and learning difficulties Down syndrome Speech and language

Learning support assistant FAQs

Do schools in Dubai provide an LSA, or do parents pay for one?

Some schools employ their own learning support assistants and include them in the fees. Many Dubai and Abu Dhabi schools, however, ask the family to fund a dedicated LSA when a child needs full-time individual support. Your school's inclusion policy and admission letter state which applies to you.

Is a learning support assistant the same as a shadow teacher?

Yes. Both terms describe the same one-to-one, in-class role. Schools and regulators tend to say LSA; parents more often say shadow teacher. On ShadowTeacher UAE the same verified teachers appear under both names.

Can I hire a special needs tutor instead of an LSA?

Not as a substitute. A SEN tutor works outside the classroom on academic or therapy goals, usually for a few hours a week. If the school has asked for in-class support, it needs an LSA or shadow teacher present during lessons. Many families use both.

How do I find a learning support assistant near me?

Browse verified LSAs on ShadowTeacher UAE and filter by emirate; each city page lists the teachers based there. Most LSAs travel within their emirate, and many Sharjah- and Ajman-based teachers also take placements in Dubai schools.

How long does it take to hire an LSA?

Allow two to three weeks: a few days to message candidates and interview, then one to two weeks for the school to complete its checks and add the LSA to the approved-staff list.

What if the LSA is not the right fit?

Agree a trial period and a notice period in writing at the start. Because you contract directly with the LSA, you can end the arrangement and choose another candidate without an agency fee; tell the school so the approved-staff list is updated.