A specific learning disorder can affect how people learn in a variety of ways including how they take in, remember, understand or express information. A specific learning disorder may be defined as problems people encounter in learning that affect achievement.
The most common forms of learning difficulties are in reading and spelling, but they may also be found in other areas including spoken language and mathematics. People who present with a specific difficulty in one or more areas usually also experience difficulties in other areas of learning. For example, a child who has a specific difficulty in reading and spelling is likely to have some difficulties with mathematics even though the level of difficulty may not be as great.