Michelle Luciano
School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
Genetic essentials (not essentialism) for practitioners
This talk will demystify genetics by explaining basic genetics terminology and summarising our current understanding of how genes influence the differences between people in their reading skills, including difficulties in reading. It will speak to some lay conceptions around genetic determinism, which unlike single gene disorders does not apply to complex traits like cognitive abilities. Complex traits are associated with many genes of very small effect and also associate with factors in the environment. The implications that genetic findings on reading skill and dyslexia have for educational practice, including identification will be discussed. And the perspective of people with lived experience of dyslexia (themselves or as a carer of a dyslexic child/young person) on genetics research will be highlighted.
