Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)
- Dyslexia affects around 10% of the population to some degree
- SpLD has nothing to do with intelligence — Einstein and Steve Jobs were both dyslexic
- Girls with SpLD are often under-identified because they develop coping strategies
- Early identification and the right support can transform outcomes
What is Dyslexia & Learning Difficulties?
SpLD covers conditions where a child has difficulty with one particular area of learning, but is otherwise of average or above-average intelligence. The most well-known is dyslexia (difficulty with reading and writing), but it also includes dyscalculia (maths), dyspraxia (coordination), and dysgraphia (handwriting).
Children with SpLD are often very bright, creative, and capable — they just learn in a different way. Many successful people have SpLD, including entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and athletes.
The key challenge is that school often relies heavily on reading, writing, and sitting still at a desk — exactly the things that children with SpLD find hardest. With the right adjustments, these children can absolutely thrive.
👀 What you might notice
- Reading slowly or inaccurately for their age
- Mixing up letters that look similar (b/d, p/q) or words that look similar
- Spelling the same word differently each time
- Being clever and articulate verbally but struggling to get ideas on paper
- Avoiding reading or becoming upset when asked to read aloud
- Struggling with basic number concepts like bigger/smaller
- Finding times tables almost impossible to memorise
- Difficulty telling the time or handling money
- Losing track of where they are in multi-step maths problems
- Messy handwriting that's hard to read
- Difficulty with buttons, shoelaces, or using cutlery
- Being clumsy or bumping into things
- Finding PE and sports particularly challenging
- Struggling to organise themselves, their desk, or their bag
How schools can help
Evidence-based programmes like Read Write Inc, Toe by Toe, or Numicon
Text-to-speech software, audiobooks, speech-to-text for writing, coloured overlays
Additional time in tests and for completing work, with no penalty
Learning through seeing, hearing, and doing — not just reading from a textbook
Larger text, coloured backgrounds, word banks, number lines, visual aids
Chunking work into smaller, manageable steps with clear instructions
🏠 What you can do at home
- Focus on what your child CAN do — build their confidence through their strengths
- Never say 'try harder' — they are already trying incredibly hard
- Audiobooks count as reading! Let them enjoy stories without the struggle of decoding
- Use technology: dictation tools, spell-checkers, and educational apps can help enormously
- Keep homework sessions short and positive — stop before frustration sets in
- Remind them regularly that having a learning difficulty doesn't mean they're not clever
🤝 Organisations that can help
🔗 Related conditions
SEN types often overlap. Your child may have more than one area of need. Here are conditions commonly linked to Dyslexia & Learning Difficulties:
Note: This guide is for general information only. Every child is unique, and SEN types often overlap. If you have concerns about your child, speak to your child's school SENCO and your GP. For legal advice on SEN rights, contactIPSEA (free).