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 risk 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 starting a new multidisciplinary network based in Scotland to bring together researchers with different expertise.  The aim is to better coordinate the research agenda for specific learning difficulties. Our first meeting was in late 2022 in Edinburgh.

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.

New paper illuminates research priorities from lived experience perspective

A new study by SLDN researchers has been published in  Neurodiversity. It illuminates the lived experiences of people with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (SpLDs), revealing  – in fact; confirming – significant challenges in identification, support, and mental health outcomes. [read more]