DYSLEXIA

The STATE of ART

Italy

Antonella Gagliano University of Messina and Roberta Penge University of Rome

PRAHA

May 12-16- 2008

Unlike other countries that need to raise the

awareness of the potential negative effects of

dyslexia…

…. Italy still has to struggle to boost awareness

about the nature and the characteristics of

Dyslexia

Many psychologists and child psychiatrists

…up to a few years ago…

didn’t accept the idea that Dyslexia is a

neurobiological disorder

ascribed the causes to educational or

environmental factors

teachers and educators didn’t receive correct information about the disorder during

their vocational training

they believed that

reading and spelling

difficulties arose from

negligence, laziness or low

learning capacities

they didn’t point out the

difficulties of the dyslexic

children to the healthcare

institutions

The general knowledge about Dyslexia was poor and

incorrect!

misdiagnosis by

healthcare institutions

many dyslexic pupils

…didn’t receive…

...an early diagnosis and a correct help

poor knowledge by educational istitutions

Italy is still experiencing a serious delay in the

identification of Dyslexia and in the organization of

services and laws responding to the needs of

dyslexic people

Fortunately…

in the last years

many important

changes in the

approach to

dyslexia have

occurred…

What steps did the Italians

take in order to improve the

management of Dyslexia ?

The first step was…

…the foundation of the first national association for Dyslexia

Bologna, 1997

Associazione Italiana Dislessia (AID)

This association is “the voice of dyslexic people”…

The founder and the first president was

Giacomo Stella

one of the most outstanding Italian experts of Dyslexia

Currently the president is Roberta Penge a child psychiatrist at Rome University -La Sapienza

AID has three campaign areas:

1)To build a culture of total quality about the disorder and to create a dyslexia friendly society and school in order to enable dyslexic people to reach their potential in the school and in the workplace

2)To promote research and training in sanitary and school fields

3)To offer dyslexic people and their family support and counselling

Moreover…AID aim to develop and encourage all services that

meet the needs of dyslexic people.

Currently there are

•60 local AID sections

•about 4000 members

Volunteers (parents, teachers, physicians, educators,

psychologist and dyslexic adults) normally provide services to people of their region.

They are an important link across the country for all dyslexic people, providing many opportunities for parents and teachers to give the appropriate educational provision to children

AID services generally include:

•Meeting and workshops with experts for families and teachers•A local helpline •Newsletters with information about new laws •self-help support groups for families or dyslexic adolescents•Training for children to use learning aids and supports (like computerized instruments) •Dyslexia literature and materials for sale or for borrowing

The web site of AID

(www.dislessia.it)

is very useful to understand the nature of the disease and to know all important news about the problem

It also provides free software and programs like

“vocal reader” or “scanner reader”

and a service (called “BIBLIO AID”) that provides

the audio-version of any scholastic books or texts

students need.

There are also many e-mail discussion forums (for students, parents and educators) relevant for dyslexia

Online Dyslexia Forum

Moreover …

Local AID section holds a list of specialized psychologists and teachers working in their area

AID volunteers can suggest the best place where it is possible to get a full assessment for Dyslexia and to receive a correct diagnosis

In 2003 AID has been recognized as teacher training institution

AID, supported by MIUR (The Italian Office of Scientific Research ad University ), is carrying out

a project, started in 2004, named

“E-learning integrato e formazione in presenza per ridurre i disagi provocati

dalla dislessia”

A great number of teachers were selected among the entire country

Those teachers have been submitted to an educational learning program about dyslexia

This program has been completed in many districts

In the areas where this educational program has been already completed

there was an increased interest in dyslexia

In the last years

several books, educational supports, and texts have been produced

in Italy

A short brochure

(published by AID in

2001)

is one of the first

instruments

distributed in schools

to facilitate the

knowledge of dyslexia

This is another short brochure, published in 2000

by

AID local section of MESSINA

It contains 2 parts:

1)one addressed to adults (parents and teachers), with didactic explanations

2)another addressed to children telling the story of a child (named Marco) and the difficulties that he experinced at school

The language is simple and easy

Marco describes his satisfaction when the adults understood his problems

several books and educational supports have been producted by AID or by other publishers

….since 2000

AID local section of MESSINA in 2005 also produced a

short movie(about 30’ minutes)

that describes the clinical features of

Dyslexia using slides or other audio-visual

supports

together with

the story of Marco

…from his distress at school to the joy when his problems were solved

In 2003 the main italian firm that makes educational software and supports for dislexic people (ANASTASIS) produced the first italian vocal reader software

Carlo reads and/or records any text in audio format Mp3 or Wav

http://www.anastasis.it

In 2002 dr. Grandi and dr. Stella created an annual

Computer Campus (Learning stage)

in order to facilitate reading and spelling learning with computerized supports

info@campusdislessia.it

After this …

many other workshops for children and adolescents were organized in Italy

in order to facilitate reading and spelling learning with computerized supports

And in Sicily too (in Messina) in 2006 dr. Grosso, Calarese and Gagliano created an annual

Computer Campus

(CAMPUS per L’AUTONOMIA)

studioathena@freemail.it

The first one was:CLIP

“Centro Internazionale del Libro Parlato”www.libroparlato.org

In Italy there are now…

audio- libraries

...learning English for Italian students with dyslexia is very difficult because of…

… the differences between the development of reading and spelling among children learning a consistent

orthography (Italian) and an inconsistent orthography (English)

learning another language

(mainly English )

In 2006 dr. Kvilkval created an yearly

English Campus (Learning stage)

in order to facilitate the learning of the English language with special educational material and support

info@campusdislessia.it

In 2007 dr. Kvilkval pubblished the first one text about this topic

in order to facilitate English language teaching

In 2004 the journal

DISLESSIA

was founded and directed by G. Stella and

E. Savelli

……and what about the scientific Journals ?and what about the scientific Journals ?

The purpose is to public original papers and Good clinical practice

reports

This journal achieved a leading

position for all the professional

medical providers, involved in

Dyslexia management

The most important step

was…

A Consensus Conference was promoted by AID

A group of national experts in

specific learning disorders

defined the recommendations

for clinical practise

CONSENSUS CONFERENCE On January 26. 2007

……and what about legislation?and what about legislation?

Unfortunately …..

….even if they receive the diagnosis

at the right moment

…currently in Italy there is no

legal right to any specific

guardianship…

AID has put through a new

law and regulation

but it hasn’t been

approved yet by the Italian

Parlament…

Even if…Even if…

On 05/10/2004

The Italian Office of Scientific Research and University (MIUR)

sent to all Italian schools

a decree that established the use of helping and supporting tools in the school

In order to reduce the discomfort that dyslexia creates in the students

In the degree, it is also suggested that the learning and the rights of the subjects affected by dyslexia should be promoted

Ministero Istruzione Università e Ricerca Ministero Istruzione Università e Ricerca Ufficio IVUfficio IV

Prot. n 4099/A/4 del 05.10.2004Prot. n 4099/A/4 del 05.10.2004Ai Direttori degli Ai Direttori degli

Uffici Scolastici RegionaliUffici Scolastici RegionaliLoro SediLoro Sedi

Object: Initiatives related to DislexiaObject: Initiatives related to Dislexia

The same education and evaluation The same education and evaluation as the other studentsas the other students

Learning aids and supportsLearning aids and supports

On 05/01/2005 Prot.n.26/A 4°

the specialized diagnosis of specific learning disorder (or dyslexia) is required to make use of compensatory learning aids and tools in schools

Such tools can be employed:

throughout all the years of schooling

during exams

in relation to individual needs and to the seriousness of the learning difficulties, the student should be exempted from tasks such us:

•reading aloud

•writing under dictation

•Writing on the blackboard

•Reading instructions

•Use of dictionary

•Memorisation of multiplication tables

in relation to individual needs and to the seriousness of the learning

difficulties, We should grant :

- more time for written tests

- Scheduled oral tests

word-processorword-processor

scanner with OCR systemscanner with OCR system

Vocal readerVocal reader

Vocal spelling Vocal spelling

It is possible to use ….

At school dyslexic students must have :

• audio books

• summarized texts as regards the number of words/pages not content

• laptop computers with printers

• multimedial encyclopedias

• hypertexts

Dyslexia

received in the last year

an increasing attention

especially concerning

young people

In the last couple of years, some Universities approved the use of

visual or oral aids

for the exams

DYSLEDYSLExxIIcc PEOPLE AT PEOPLE AT UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

DYSLEXSIC PEOPLE AT DYSLEXSIC PEOPLE AT UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

The first University that The first University that approved the use of visual or oral support

for the exams was

CataniaCatania

Thanks to an agreement Thanks to an agreement ((protocollo_di_intesaunicatania.pdfprotocollo_di_intesaunicatania.pdf))

between the “Centro Servizi per la Disabilità” of Catania between the “Centro Servizi per la Disabilità” of Catania University and the “Azienda Sanitaria Locale n.3”, the University and the “Azienda Sanitaria Locale n.3”, the

“Centro Servizi Amministrativi” and AID“Centro Servizi Amministrativi” and AID

See: See: renis@mbox.unict.itrenis@mbox.unict.it  

since October 2007

…The subjects with dyslexia can also use audio files to sustain the driving licence theory examination

Ministero dei Trasporti DIPARTIMENTO PER I TRASPORTI TERRESTRI DIPARTIMENTO PER I TRASPORTI TERRESTRI Direzione Generale per la MotorizzazioneProt. 98013/23.03.05

Roma, 25 ottobre 2007

And adults in Italy…?

And adults in Italy…?

In Italy there are no standardized measures for adults

And so…

There is no certain data

And adults in Italy…?

We believe that:

• Some of them recovered the disorders (thanks

to regular orthographic system )

• Some of them develop psychological disorders

(personality or conduct disorders)

• Some of them have problems with the law

• Most of them have a vocational run

directed to acquiring professional

abilities

We must distinguish

between the subject who

recovers the disorder and

the one who compensates

the difficulties.

The latter continues to

have fatigue when he reads

or write, even if his results

to reading and spelling

tasks are satisfactory

G. Stella, 2006

INCIDENCE of Dyslexia in different grades of school and in adult population that attends professional courses

INCIDENCE of Dyslexia in schools of different grades and in adult population that attends professional courses

Giacomo Stella, 2008 www.dislessia.it

A few months ago…

AID, with the partnership of Modena and Reggio Emilia University, opened a diagnostic centre for dislexic adults

Thanks to this in Italy…

Epidemiological, clinical and sociological data concerning adults will be available in the next few years

….Towards a standardized battery for adult population

www.asmn.re.it

an important appointment…

Main problems

In Italy it is still difficult to get

a diagnosis in a short time

and to receive correct

treatment

Main problems

1) high standard public centres have very long waiting lists to access to evaluation

2) not all public structures have a high standard service

3) private centres are very rare

4) the possible access to educational support is regulated through a diagnosis stated by a public hospital

therefore, it is possible to have to

wait 6-8 months to have a diagnosis

5) It is still difficult to find professional supporters trained to manage the disease

Some of pupils with dyslexia cannot have an educational

training

The educational centres have been established in the last 2-3 years and they are very rare

This may consequentially lead to secondary psychological issues such us

sense of loneliness

low self-esteem

sadness and anxiety

sense of guilt

Future directions:

increasing the number of the centres that can provide a correct assessment and an early diagnosis

increasing the number of educational support providers

obtaining the approval of legislation defending the rights of dyslexics people

If we don’t give equal educational opportunities to dyslexic children

during the school age…

•Their development will be impaired•Their personality will be changed •Their social realization will be prevented

HIS OUTCOME IS OUR CHALLENGE…