Specific Learning Difficulties

Learning difficulties including dyslexia (reading and spelling), dyscalculia (maths) and dysgraphia (writing) occur in up to 10% of school-age children. These conditions vary in degree of severity and often occur together. Genes and environment can increase the risks of developing these conditions and while we are making progress in research, we are far from understanding causes and developing effective intervention strategies.

We are a multidisciplinary network bringing together researchers with different expertise.  The aim is to better coordinate the research agenda for specific learning difficulties. 

Key goals are to increase awareness around specific learning difficulties and to make research useful to the direct beneficiaries. SLDN’s first public event was in June 2023 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a video of the key contributions is available via the thumbnails on the right: choose the full-length or summary version.

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Dyslexia as a mental health story – new study findings to be revealed next month

​Researchers from the University of St Andrews have been exploring the relationship between dyslexia, dyscalculia and mental health, interrogating data from Dyslexia Scotland’s major 2024 survey. The project examines how experiences of dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and other specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) shape people’s wellbeing across different stages of life. It also asks if and how earlier identification and support could make a difference……[read more]