From the 2nd to 8th October the focus is on dyslexia and related issues. Professor Acciarino tells us about the UniCamillus Specific Learning Disabilities service
National Dyslexia Week (from 2nd to 8th October), organised by AID (Associazione Italiana Dislessia) coincides with European Dyslexia Awareness Week, promoted by EDA (European Dyslexia Association).
This initiative is now in its 8th edition and includes a dense calendar of events throughout Italy aimed at raising awareness of people with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) and their rights.
This edition’s title is “Leggere libera tutti: diritti verso l’apprendimento” (Reading liberates all: Rights towards learning) and focuses on Law 170/2010, which recognises the rights of SLD students to access culture and knowledge while respecting their own characteristics. Thanks to Law 25 of 2022, these rights were also extended to working people.
Possibly the best known among SLDs is dyslexia, a term that is often mistakenly used to refer to other disorders as well. But the landscape around these learning problems is much broader and more detailed.
Specifically, the most common SLDs are:
- Dyslexia: difficulty recognising the letters of the alphabet when reading, accompanied by difficulty in associating graphemes with sounds.
- Dysorthographia: difficulty spelling words correctly as the individual cannot recognise the sounds that should be translated into written words.
- Dysgraphia: a person’s handwriting is often illegible as they have difficulty orienting their handwriting or writing words of the same size.
- Dyscalculia: difficulty understanding and dealing with numbers.
There is no cure for SLD because it is not a disease: people with SLDs simply have a brain that functions differently and is also anatomically different from other people’s brain. It’s not about damage, it’s a different arrangement of neural networks. For this reason, a child with SLD will also be an adult with the same needs.
SLD and academia: Professor Adriano Acciarino on UniCamillus’ Commitment
The Ministerial Decree of July 12, 2011 lists the educational measures that guarantee the right to study for students with SLDs. In particular, it stipulates the need to provide a welcoming environment for all students.
At UniCamillus, a service dedicated to SLD students has been established and entrusted to Professor Adriano Acciarino, a psychotherapist and lecturer in General and Social Pedagogy on the BSc Midwifery and Nursing. We interviewed him to find out more.
What does UniCamillus’ SLD service involve?
“The service is responsible for welcoming students and understanding their specific educational needs. We provide them with personalised study support, looking for the most functional approaches for each individual. As a psychologist, my aim is to implement an active listening approach and learner-oriented pedagogy, where learners can build their knowledge. The service is available two days a week, with the possibility of making appointments on other days through the UniCamillus WebApp.”
How did the idea for this service come about?
“For some time, we teachers, together with the UniCamillus programme directors and staff, had been planning services that would take a more personalised approach to students. Last February, we decided to launch a tutoring service, which is still available, to meet the needs of all types of students. Having noticed the presence of several SLD students, as well as their eagerness to improve and their dedication to studying, we decided to create a more specific service, including a drop-in service without the need for an appointment.”
Although the service was recently established, UniCamillus has been looking after students with SLD for years…
“Absolutely: UniCamillus has always been attentive to SLD students! A couple of years ago, the University asked me to create a guide for SLDs and SENs (that’s Special Educational Needs), and that was sent to all teachers so that they have all the necessary tools to support the education of students, offering them the best possible learning conditions. By analysing the medical certificates we receive, we try to provide students with the most appropriate tools.”
SLD and exams: Do students have difficulty staying on track?
“Some students do indeed have difficulty keeping up with exams, often prioritising performance over the time required to achieve specific results. They often tell me: ‘It doesn’t matter if I graduate a bit later; what matters is achieving the goal of a degree.’ This is why we often discuss both the study plan and which exams they should prepare for in each available session. This helps them have a better mental organisation and, above all, the necessary steps to achieve their degree.”
What are the main fears and concerns of SLD students who turn to you?
“Many students fear that they will not be able to achieve the same results as their peers. This affects them greatly and leads them to perceive a stigma associated with their condition. They often report exam performance anxiety but also anxiety about interacting with their peers (particularly noticeable among freshers).
One of UniCamillus’ objectives is to create a safe and relaxed environment for these students, where they will be placed in conditions to achieve the same results as their peers, rewarding merit, effort, and effective preparation.”
Are there any upcoming projects?
“We have awareness and education events planned for teachers to create a true SLD-friendly culture based on acceptance, awareness, and sensitivity towards this issue.”