DYSLEXIA The STATE of ART Italy

1. DYSLEXIA The STATE of ART Italy Antonella GaglianoUniversity of MessinaandRoberta PengeUniversity of Rome PRAHA May 12-16- 2008

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. The general knowledge about Dyslexia was poor and incorrect!

6. misdiagnosis by healthcare institutions poor knowledge by educational istitutions many dyslexic pupils …didn’t receive… ...an early diagnosis and a correct help

7. 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

8. Fortunately… in the last years many important changes in the approach to dyslexia have occurred…

9. What steps did the Italians take in order to improve the management of Dyslexia ?

10. The first step was…

11. …the foundation of the first national association for Dyslexia Bologna, 1997 Associazione Italiana Dislessia (AID) This association is “the voice of dyslexic people”…

12. 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

13. AID has three campaign areas: • 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 • To promote research and training in sanitary and school fields • 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. There are also many e-mail discussion forums (for students, parents and educators) relevant for dyslexia Online Dyslexia Forum

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. In the last years several books, educational supports, and texts have been produced in Italy

23. A short brochure (published by AID in 2001) is one of the first instruments distributed in schools to facilitate the knowledge of dyslexia

24. This is another short brochure, published in 2000 by AID local section of MESSINA

25. It contains 2 parts: • one addressed to adults (parents and teachers), with didactic explanations • 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

26. several books and educational supports have been producted by AID or by other publishers ….since 2000

27. AID local section of MESSINAin 2005also 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

28. 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 formatMp3 or Wav http://www.anastasis.it

29. 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

30. After this … many other workshops for children and adolescents were organized in Italy in order to facilitate reading and spelling learning with computerized supports

31. 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 Studio ATHENA Studio ATHENA Studio ATHENA

32. In Italy there are now… audio- libraries The first one was: CLIP “Centro Internazionale del Libro Parlato” www.libroparlato.org

33. learning another language (mainly English ) ...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)

34. 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

35. In 2007 dr. Kvilkval pubblished the first one text about this topic in order to facilitate English language teaching

36. …and what about the scientific Journals ? In 2004 the journal DISLESSIA was founded anddirected by G. Stella and E. Savelli

37. 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

38. The most important step was…

39. A Consensus Conference was promoted by AID A group of national experts in specific learning disorders defined the recommendations for clinical practise

40. CONSENSUS CONFERENCEOn January 26. 2007

41. …and what about legislation?

42. Unfortunately ….. ….even if they receive the diagnosis at the right moment …currently in Italy there is no legal right to any specific guardianship…

43. AID has put through a new law and regulation but it hasn’t been approved yet by the Italian Parlament…

44. Even if…

45. 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

46. Ministero Istruzione Università e Ricerca Ufficio IV Prot. n 4099/A/4 del 05.10.2004 Ai Direttori degli Uffici Scolastici Regionali Loro Sedi Object: Initiatives related to Dislexia The same education and evaluation as the other students Learning aids and supports

47. On 05/01/2005Prot.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

48. 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

49. in relation to individual needs and to the seriousness of the learning difficulties, We should grant : - more time for written tests - Scheduled oral tests

50. It is possible to use …. • word-processor • scanner with OCR system • Vocal reader • Vocal spelling