Innovation in Language Learning

In Italy Dyslexia is considered as a part of a wider frame of learning disorders affecting Italian population (DSA). In this definition Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia and Dysorthography are included. The percentage of students affected by these disorders is estimated around the 5 per cent of the whole school population in the compulsory grades of school, primary, low secondary and high secondary, although the data in our possession belonging  to the last National survey related to school year 2015/2016 states a lower percentage due to lack of official  DSA certification. Dyslexia is a real problem, which affects the acquisition of reading and writing of many individuals and whose effects may be worsened by an inadequate education at school .If not recognised in time and not provided with effective support at all school levels, students with dyslexia will probably face academic failure  affecting their self-esteem, and will therefore fall into  anxiety, lack of motivation, and disengagement with school. Moreover, the acquisition of oral and written skills in foreign language can be really challenging and frustrating for students affected by reading and writing disorders. That is why it is extremely important for teachers and trainers to understand the nature of dyslexia, its manifestations and consequences and to be aware of the ways they could help and support students to overcome their difficulties. The most common practices in order to cope with dyslexic students in their learning process are extra time, adapting written skills to oral skills and using maps and diagrams. In years of experience with certified and not certified   dyslexic students ,in my school context, the use of ICT based  tools,  such as audios, videos, computer based  word programs  for writing , learning games, multimedia quizzes and maps have proved to be effective both in terms of acquisition of competences than in the improvement of self-esteem and motivation in learning.

Keywords: ICT Based Language Teaching and Learning Approaches, Studies in Second Language Acquisition;