70245 - Cognitive Development and Learning Disabilities

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student: - knows the main approaches of developmental psychology to cognitive processes and language; - knows the main methods of inquiry in cognitive and language development and learning; - knows the main tools for evaluating cognitive and language development and learning abilities; - knows the main developmental models of language disorders and specific learning disabilities; - knows the tools for diagnosing language disorders and specific learning disabilities.

Course contents

The course takes place in the second semester and is aimed at students of the first year of the Master. Classes are held at the headquarters of Cesena (FC) of the School of Psychology and Education Science, Piazza Aldo Moro, 90.

The course consists of two parts. Part 1. (21 hours, Professor Alessandra Sansavini)

Developmental neuropsychology. Neuroconstructivism.

Acquisition of oral language

Language disorders

Learning the written language: reading and writing

Specific learning disabilities: general overview

Developmental dyslexia and developmental dysorthography

Effects of preterm birth on language development and learning abilities.

For each of the topics, the main developmental approaches and assessment tools will be presented. Furthermore, the legislative indications regarding specific learning disorders will be referred to.

Part 2. (24 hours, Dr. Veronica Andreini)                  

Assessment of cognitive skills in children: WPPSI-III, WISC-IV, LEITER 3, Matrices.

Developmental dyscalculia , theoretical models and clinical investigation

Dysgraphia and visuo-motor/visuo-spatial impairments

Comorbidity among learning disabilities

Assessment of specific learning disorders at high school

The first topic explains how the WISC -IV, which is the most common scale for assessing the intellectual abilities in children and adolescents, is used. Dysgraphia is then explained. Developmental dyscalculia is the third topic, with a broad overview of the developmental models of computation and disorders of numerical processing and calculation and the assessment tools of these skills .

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography for the exam

Selected chapters of the following volumes:

· Vicari S., Caselli M.C. (a cura di, 2017). Neuropsicologia dell'età evolutiva. Bologna: Il Mulino. Capitoli 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17. The book is available also in the digital version at the publisher's website.

Some scientific papers will be also presented and discussed during the lectures.

Materials used during the lectures and documents (see below) will be available on the online platform of the course that students regularly registered for this course can access with their own institutional userid and password.

Documents

· Consensus Conference 3 (2011). Disturbi specifici di apprendimento. Ministero della Salute e Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Roma, 6-7 dicembre.

· Legge 8 ottobre 2010, n. 170 Nuove norme in materia di disturbi specifici di apprendimento in ambito scolastico (Gazzetta Ufficiale 18 ottobre 2010, n. 244)

· Linee guida per il diritto allo studio degli alunni e degli studenti con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento. Ministero dell'istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca. Allegate al Decreto Ministeriale 12 Luglio 2011.

· Raccomandazioni cliniche sui DSA (2011). Documento d'intesa, PARCC 2011. www.lineeguidadsa.it

· La diagnosi di discalculia. Documento di accordo AID (2012). Airipa, ottobre 2012.

· Criteri per la diagnosi di disgrafia (2011). Una proposta del gruppo di lavoro Airipa.

•Consensus Conference sul Disturbo Primario del Linguaggio (a cura di CLASTA e FLI, 2019). www.disturboprimariolinguaggio.it

. I DSA e gli altri BES Indicazioni per la pratica professionale (2016). Consiglio Nazionale Ordine degli Psicologi, 26 febbraio 2016

Linee guida: Gestione dei Disturbi Specifici dell’Apprendimento (DSA) 2022

Further references for students interested in the topics of the course

Brotini, M. (2000). Le difficoltà di apprendimento: come affrontare disgrafie, disortografie, dislessie, discalculie; presentazione di Pietro Pfanner. – 6. ed. – Tirrenia: Edizioni del Cerro.

Cornoldi, C. (a cura di, 2019). I disturbi dell’apprendimento. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Cornoldi, C. (2013). Le difficoltà di apprendimento a scuola. Bologna: Il Mulino.

D’Amico S., De Cagno A. G., Levorato M. C., Rossetto T., Sansavini A. (2021). Il Disturbo Primario del Linguaggio. Oltre la Consensus Conference. Con interviste a A.M. Chilosi, E. Genovese, F. Mollo, D. Sarti e F. Zanetto. Guide Neurosviluppo. Trento: Erickson.

Fabbro F. (2019). Manuale di neuropsichiatria infantile. Una prospettiva psicoeducativa. Roma: Carocci.

Lang M, Di Pierro P., Michelotti C., Squarza C. (2017). WISC-IV Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children: lettura dei risultati e interpretazione clinica. Capitoli: L’evoluzione degli strumenti (pp.15-22); Innovazioni nell’architettura (pp. 37-41); I quattro indici (pp.168-179).

Pecini C., Brizzolara D. (a cura di, 2020). Disturbi e traiettorie atipiche del neurosviluppo. Milano: McGraw Hill.

Ruggeri M, Franzoni E. (2012). Neurologia e psichiatria dello sviluppo. Elsevier. Capitoli 28,31.

Sabbadini, L. (2013). Disturbi specifici del linguaggio, disprassie e funzioni esecutive. Milano: Springer

Sansavini A., Faldella G. (2013, a cura di). Lo sviluppo dei bambini nati pretermine. Aspetti neuropsicologici, metodi di valutazione e interventi (pp. 1-383). Milano: Franco Angeli.

Sansavini A., Simion F. (2019). Aumento delle diagnosi di Disturbi Specifici dell’Apprendimento in Italia: quali fattori concorrono nel determinare tale aumento? Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, 2, 263-280.

Stella, G. (2004). La dislessia. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Stella, G., Grandi, L. (a cura di, 2011). Come leggere la dislessia e i DSA. Firenze. Giunti Scuola.

Zoccolotti P. L. (a cura di, 2021). I disturbi specifici dell'apprendimento. Strumenti per la valutazìione. Roma: Carocci.

Teaching methods

Lectures
Training in small group on assessment tools
Discussion of clinical cases
Presentation of scientific papers
Class attendance is greatly recommended to achieve mastery of terminology, concepts and methodology regarding the topics of the exam and their applications in clinical and educational contexts.

The students who will regularly attend the lectures will participate in practical activities which will be collected by the students in a personal portfolio. This portfolio could be presented on the day of the exam and will contribute to the evalutation of the exam.

Assessment methods

The exam is held in oral form either in presence or with the use of TEAMS technology, according to the continously updated indications of the University of Bologna. To take the exam via TEAMS, the student must have a computer station equipped with a webcam, microphone and internet connection. The student will connect to the TEAMS room at the date and time indicated on AlmaEsami.

The exam consists of an oral test with two open questions concerning the topics of the exam, and the analysis of a clinical case guided by two questions referring to the lessons and the bibliography for the exam.

The exam aims to assess:
- the knowledge of the topics of the exam;
- the knowledge of the specific terminology characterizingthe topics of the exam;
- the mastery of the knowledge acquired for the application in clinical and educational contexts.

The evaluation of the exam will be max 30 out of 30. The answers to the 2 open questions will be evaluated with a max score of 15 (max 7,5 for each answer). The analysis of the clinical case will be guided by two questions and evaluated with a score of max 15 (max 7,5 for each answer). In addition, for the students regularly attending the lectures, the portfolio of the practical activities done during the course will obtain an evalutation of max 2.

The deepened and complete knowledge of the topics of the program, expressive mastery with analytical and synthesis skills and specific language for the discipline, and the ability to reflect on the application of the acquired knowledge in clinical and educational contexts will be evaluated with excellent evaluation. The mnemonic knowledge of the topics of the program, a correct but not articulated expression of the concepts and / or a language not always specific for the discipline, and a mechanical reflection on the application of the acquired knowledge in clinical and educational contexts will lead to discrete evaluation; a not deepened knowledge of the topics of the program with some gaps and / or with a language not specific to the discipline and the lack of reflection on the application of the knowledge acquired in clinical and educational contexts will lead to a just sufficient evaluation. A very poor knowledge of the topics of the program with significant gaps, non-specific language for the discipline and lack of orientation and reflection with respect to the study materials and the transfer of this knowledge in clinical and educational contexts will lead to insufficient evaluation.

The student is required to complete the online registration (Almaesami) within the terms in order to be admitted to the exam. In case of technical problems the student is required to promptly contact the Segreteria Studenti and email prof. Sansavini (within the terms) who will consider the request and decide about the admission.

Teaching tools

Slides
Videos of clinical cases
Protocols of neuropsychological tests

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Sansavini

See the website of Veronica Andreini