Learning
disabilities are characterized by inadequate development of specific academic,
language, and speech skills. They include reading disability (dyslexia),
mathematics disability (dyscalculia) and writing disability (dysgraphia).  The course provides an understanding of these
different disorders with reference to:

- Main cognitive
models of the disturbances;

- Applicability
of models developed for the English language to the description of the
disturbances in Italian (Anglocentrism)

- Main
diagnostic instruments for the analysis of the dyslexic and dysgraphic
disturbances in Italian;

- Case examples;

- Rehabilitative
experiences.

The course aims to provide basic information on the nature of the
learning disturbances of written language (dyslexia and dysgraphia).  Furthermore, it aims to provide basic competence
on the use of diagnostic instruments and rehabilitative techniques on these
disturbances.  The course will focus on
the analysis of the learning disturbances of written languages in Italian. The
main models will be illustrated.  Studies
on English-speaking children will be presented as well as recent studies which
compare languages with different degree of orthographic complexity. 

The student will acquire basic knowledge on the characteristics of
learning disturbances of written language (dyslexia and dysgraphia).  In particular, the student will acquire
information of the differentiation between disturbances in irregular (such as
English) and regular (such Italian) orthographies.