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Join us online on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 for a chance to hear expert views and examine current topical issues relating to dyslexia and other SpLDs.
You’ll have the chance to listen to our four keynote speakers, who will be providing a range of different presentations to suit all of us. You will learn about current work at the University of Edinburgh, focussing on the heritability of dyslexia and how genetics interact with our environment. For those of us who carry out assessments for disabled student allowance, or work to support students in further and higher education, you will also hear about changes in how students with SpLDs are supported in this setting. We will also find out about current research at King’s College, London, where attitudes towards ADHD have been measured and where we learn more about the link between positive self-views in adults with ADHD and general mental health. The day will end with a presentation about orthographic processing, a feature of dyslexia that has been the focus of recent attention, and a factor that we are keen to explore further to help us in our assessment processes.
Gain a 5-hour CPD attendance certificate (2.5 hours of which is SASC accredited*) when you attend this event.
*pending approval
£99 Guild Member Rate
(£82.50 + £16.50 VAT)
£139 Non-Guild Member Rate
(£115.83 + £23.17 VAT)
Please note:
Not yet a member of the Guild? Join now** to attend at the member rate, membership prices start from only £36 +VAT.
Our membership body is open to all those with a professional or general interest in dyslexia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD) and associated issues. Professional members hold designatory letters and include primary and secondary teachers, SENCOs and teaching assistants as well as further and higher education support tutors, advisory specialists and exam access arrangements assessors. Our network is also highly relevant to dyslexia and specific learning disability assessors, librarians and other specialists through Affiliate membership.
**If you are joining the Guild to receive the members’ conference rate you must join and have confirmation of your membership before you login and register for the annual summer conference as the member discount rate cannot be applied in retrospect.
Professor Michelle Luciano – Early clinical observations of dyslexia reported the tendency for it to run in families, but what does science tell us about familial transmission: how important are genes and family environmental influences? Professor Luciano’s recent work has helped pinpoint specific genetic differences that are associated with dyslexia, how genetic predisposition to dyslexia relates to different cognitive processing abilities, whether this genetic predisposition interacts with family socio-economic class to influence reading skill, and whether there is genetic overlap between dyslexia and other developmental traits or psychiatric health variables. In this talk, Professor Luciano will summarise some key findings from this work while explaining some basic genetics concepts along the way.
Michelle Luciano is a Professor in Psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She uses twin and family modelling to investigate the relative influence of genes and environment on behaviour, genome-wide association techniques in populations for gene discovery, plus other analyses to explore the effects of rare and structural genetic variants, gene methylation, biological pathways, and the interaction between measured environmental variables with genes. She is an individual differences researcher with a special interest in cognitive and academic skills in early development (especially reading skill) and in old age.
Claire Donovan, Member of The Dyslexia Guild – Relevant for the ‘Recommendations’ section of diagnostic assessment reports, this presentation is based on Claire’s PhD research. Using case study methodology, she explores how academic and inclusive support for undergraduate students with SpLDs has evolved between 2017 and 2024. A core part of the research focuses on accessibility of support but it also explores trends in student study skills. The migration towards a more digital world, alongside the revised Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) process, has altered student needs and we will discuss how the case study university has responded.
Claire is a self-employed dyslexia assessor and non-medical helper. She completes access arrangements, cognitive profiles and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) applications in schools. Prior to this she taught English GCSE in a further education college and worked in the Learning Support Department.
Dr Steve Lukito – While past research on Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has tended to focus on the challenges and difficulties faced by individuals with ADHD, more recent reports indicate a growing number of adults who view their ADHD positively. Adults with ADHD have attributed personal characteristics such as creativity, flexibility, quick thinking, and adventurousness, among others, to their ADHD diagnosis. Steve will outline his current work: he describes a method for measuring such positive attitudes, a revised, novel questionnaire—the Positive Attitudes Towards ADHD Scale (PATAS)—incorporating the perspectives of adults with ADHD. His team also assessed how these positive self-views in adults with ADHD relate to general mental health and other personal characteristics, such as self-esteem.
Dr Steve Lukito is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate on the RE-STAR research programme in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College, London. Steve has over 10 years of research experience in neurodevelopment, with expertise in the fields of autism and ADHD. His publications encompass neuroimaging, neurocognitive, and psychometric research including understanding the overlap between autism and ADHD, as well as the emotional experiences of young people and how these are shaped by the environment. Steve is a researcher with lived experience of ADHD, and since RE-STAR, he has prioritised ensuring that his research reflects the experiences of those who need it most.
Jessica Milligan – Fellow of The Dyslexia Guild – Orthographic processing has gained momentum in recent years, largely driven by its explicit inclusion in the Delphi definition of dyslexia. This presentation will investigate the critical role that orthographic processing plays in literacy development and examine how deficits in this area can manifest within dyslexic profiles. This session will explore the theoretical foundations of orthographic processing before transitioning into practical applications. Jessica considers contemporary approaches to the assessment of orthographic processing and teaching strategies designed to support learners struggling with this area of processing. By bridging the gap between research and professional practice, this session provides valuable insights for both specialist teachers and diagnostic assessors in addressing the core mechanics of orthographic difficulties.
Jessica is a specialist assessor with a background in both UK and international education. As a member of the Delphi panel, she contributed to the updated definition of dyslexia in the UK and has previously served on an SpLD Working Party to develop local authority policy. Currently, Jessica is a Module Leader for Dyslexia Professional Report Writing DPRW) and she is also Professional Practice Manager (Dyslexia Assessment), where she develops content and tutors on postgraduate courses covering the theoretical and practical applications of dyslexia assessment.
Sophia Butler and Louise Van der Valk – Fellows of The Dyslexia Guild
This short presentation explores the different aspects of speed of processing and the reasoning behind measuring this construct for exam access arrangements. Louise Van Der Valk and Sophia Butler apply their considerable skill in the field of EAA by examining Part 2 of the Form 8. They make reference to some commonly used tests that contain a component of speed and how these tests can be applied.
The Dyslexia Action Shop has a large range of products for all your learning resource needs, from assessment tests and supplementary materials to books, games and much more. Having been established for 30 years, the shop has experience and expert understanding of the assessments and support materials used in today’s education institutions.
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