DYSLEXIA, imperfection PRAISE FOR THE EXCESS OF INJURY Author: Loredana Biffo (head of section AGIAD Torino)
On 1 February, an article was published on the head "Pordenone today," written by teacher (anonymous), which argues that the decline in school is worse, if not given ministerial approval of Law 170 to protect the right to education of dyslexic subjects, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, which fall under the heading of specific learning difficulties (learning disabilities).
According to the anonymous "expert", the approval of this law, it would be the ultimate cause of the inexorable decline of the public school, a complication of psychiatrists, psychologists and even more families, which he said would be a bunch of irresponsible parents and little attention to education and the education of disabled children with specific learning difficulties, and very happy that the boys are promoted even though they are-nothing (sic).
to him, should go back to teaching methods of Don Milani, who recovered excellently too "stupid incapable of learning", in those good times far away, where no raging scientific theories of dubious reliability (again according to the lady) and all methods was based on "natural" to him much more reliable. The whimsical columnist (and teacher), seems to have a mentality of anti-positivist debate late nineteenth century, believes that science is a threat to humanity, it says: "Why should we give credence to theories that are throwing bankruptcy psychiatric distress in students and parents and do not recall the lessons and experience of the great educators?
because a group of psychiatrists decided to table that students in second grade should be able to read without error, must be able to write properly and do the calculations, as prescribed in their protocols? They agreed that pupils who are out of their parameters, are dyslexic, with specific learning disabilities, are disabled and will never learn. Scientific theories that would horrify Galilei. Fortunately, I belong to that generation that had the right to make mistakes that the teacher marked in red, no one could undermine my sanity by bringing the psychiatrist. "
Well, in the face of all this, as Head Agiad in the City of Turin (Parents and Teachers Association Friends of dyslexia), I feel compelled to clarify some concepts from which one can not ignore, especially since supporting these heresies, you give wrong information, marred by injury. I believe that the words of the author of that article, are demonstrating the lack of knowledge of the DSA by the school system, we could define "specific ignorance" surely this is because that has never been done specific training for teachers, either because of learning disabilities has been discussed for a short time.
Needless to comment on the latest cuts took the Gelmini, it is clear the seriousness of the matter, since we do not have to drastically cut support for the teaching of disability, let alone if you can implement teaching methodologies and suitable for dyslexia and dysgraphia, who are not disabled. Yes, because what is clear from the article, is that the lady is a lot of confusion between the two, it should be clear that dyslexia and dysgraphia, "I am not a handicap", it is those with IQs normal, and often higher than normal, so since there is a cognitive deficit, are not covered disability.
What they need is an implementation of "personalized teaching methods, difficult to reconcile with the rigidity of the traditional teaching of the times, carried out mostly in too many classes. In fact, their difficulties, which often manifest themselves through the slow reading, writing and disorder problems in the calculation, which is due to a poor performance, because by focusing on graphic gesture-motor, or reading, they tend to "lose the contents" to what they study.
We have seen that working more on listening, giving concept maps in the tests, making him use a computer, calculator, allowing you more time in the written papers, and a preference for the oral tests, these individuals dramatically improve their performance. That helps them regain self-esteem, to combat a serious psychological aspect, described as "acquired a sense of failure, which leads quickly to depression, eating disorders and eating disorders, and in most cases, abandonment school; real "plague" of the Italian school. It is also worth noting that the school dropout, is a real social problem in our country, problem we have in decades, while in countries like Sweden, is almost zero, and certainly not because there does not exist the DSA.
This is a fact of which the school system should take into account, other than giving the responsibility to the law 170, that no matter how "perfect" is a first step for the "right to education", just as Basaglia was the law for "human rights", two concepts totally interdependent, because without training, there are no rights. The point is that in Italy, there was often that there has been the ability to produce more advanced in the world envied us (see la legge Basaglia), ma ne è seguita sempre un' incapacità del sistema di applicarle e valorizzarle. Probabilmente perchè il gattopardismo di cui il nostro paese soffre da tempi remoti, fa si che in seguito a buone idee, vi siano poi interessi forti che ne impediscono la messa in pratica. Per quanto riguarda la legge sulla dislessia, l'ossimoro sta nel produrre una buona legge che dovrebbe far fare un salto di qualità alla scuola pubblica, ma nel contempo si prosciugano le casse del sistema scolastico, il che impedirà una vera applicazione della legge.
A tal proposito sarebbe certamente utile fare una riflessione sulla proposta di far fare lo screening dei Dsa agli insegnanti, che non avendo una formazione specifica (l'articolo mentioned demonstrates the confusion that exists in this area) would be invested in a liability which would live as a "load more", with imaginable consequences. At the expense would then boys and families, which too often navigate in the dark in an attempt to help their children even with respect to psychological problems (not insignificant) above, and ultimately the economic damage is often underestimated by the school, which these families have to repair the damage and a drain of money on private tuition to meet their execution time, only to see everything undone at school during inspections that take no account of the compensatory measures required and dispensed to these children, I repeat, very intelligent. So was an urgent need to pass a law that recognized the problem, which overcome the weakness of the circular which had been addressed so far, with the result of delegate it entirely to the discretion of schools and the goodwill of teachers.
With the rules in the law just approved, strengthens the right to education in educational success, to have equal educational opportunities through flexibility, which is designed to foster learning, self-esteem, and avoid the difficulties associated with dyslexia and dysgraphia, put children at a disadvantage with the risk of developing anxiety, frustration, and depression. This in the name of the "principle of egualglianza" which applies just respecting differences, putting children at the same level, the places of departure, but more importantly, supporting them during the journey, which can not be discriminatory, because when the difference is scary, normality kills.
Loredana Biffo
