AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

BATTAGLIA

Teaching aims to:
- provide students with the basics of neuroplasticity and functional recovery;
- provide students with a general understanding of the principles of the rehabilitative approach in the different areas of atypical development, with a focus on Language Specific Disorders (DSL) and Learning (DSA) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD);
- introduce the issues related to the different existing rehabilitation tools;
- develop in students the knowledge about the neuropsychological functioning of the subject (functional mapping) in physiological development and in relation to the different pathologies specific to the evolutionary age as the basis for the design of multidisciplinary enabler/rehabilitation care according to a cognitive approach. 

EXPECTED LEARNING RESULTS
At the end of the teaching, the student will be able to
- Recognize in the functional neuropsychological profile of the individual subject the strengths and weaknesses, the acquired functions, the emerging and those not acquired, the objectives of short, medium and long-term intervention;
- Design and implement the automation/rehabilitation therapy plans, according to rigorous and effective techniques, for the child and adolescent;
 - Know, explain and apply some enabler/rehabilitative tools, critically assessing their effectiveness and developing the ability to work in groups and supervision.

PREITI

TRAINING OBJECTIVES (DETAIL):

The teaching aims to provide students with the basic notions on the investigation of cognitive functioning and relative dedicated assessment, with hints on the structure and correct reading of the functional diagnosis according to the ICF-CY model (children and adolescents version), in order to be able to design a rehabilitation intervention "tailor-made" for that child.  

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the teaching, the student will be able to:

• Define the meaning of cognitive assessment and know how to interpret the results from the perspective of assessing global cognitive functioning and individual higher cortical functions. 
• Know how to read and interpret the functional diagnosis according to the ICF-CY model.
• Knowing and being able to interpret the various instruments for investigating cognitive functioning, according to the CHC and Lurija models.
• To know and be able to use, for the purposes of designing a rehabilitation intervention, the valorisation of strengths and to habi/rehabilitate weaknesses, with a view to neuroplasticity. 

TEACHING METHODS

The lessons are conducted in the front with interactive and participatory mode by the students in order to make the contents of the program even more explicit and experiential.

The program is then carried out with the support of slides(Power Point),, integrated with the presentation of clinical cases (sometimes also with video) and implementation of simulations/tutorials.

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disabilities (DSA), disabilities or other educational needs, are invited to contact the teacher and the school/department disability contact at the beginning of the course to agree on any teaching methods which, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

BATTAGLIA

Neuroplasticity and functional recovery taking charge and neuropsychological rehabilitation:

- Principles of the rehabilitation approach

General principles and Overview of language rehabilitation

Neuropsychology and Autism Spectrum Disorders

- Cognitive, neuropsychological and behavioral assessment;

- From assessment to integrated multidisciplinary management (different functional profiles at different ages and intervention with short, medium and long-term objectives);

- Developmental/cognitive behavioral therapeutic interventions (e.g. ESDM, TEACCH);

- Sensory Perception: evaluation tools/creation of sensorial-perceptive profiles; notes on the intervention.

- Presentation of some intervention tools (see for example social stories, with simulation; parent training)

 Specific Learning Disorders 

- Dyslexia/ Dys spelling/ Dysgraphia/ Discalculia

- From Assessment (clinical and functional diagnosis) to Multidisciplinary Load

- Know and Apply some Enable/Rehabilitation tools (both computerized and paper).

The course contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda:
•    Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;
•    Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

PREITI

1.a       Cognitive aspects of rehabilitation-oriented assessment of intellectual functioning. 

1.b       The CHC and Lurija models. Hints of psychological statistics (weighted-standardised scores- percentiles: to know in order to interpret).  

1.c       The Developmental Assessment: Bayley-III (difference with Griffiths-III). 

2.         The cognitive assessment: CHC model and verbal tests. WPPSI-IV (differences with WPPSI-III and correlations with WISC-V), WISC-V, WAIS-IV (outline). 

3.a       The non-verbal cognitive assessment: Lurija KABC-II model, Leiter-3, Raven's Matrices.

3.b       The assessment of adaptive behaviour: Vineland II scales. Administration, scoring, interpretation of scores, construction of the rehabilitation project, possible re-testing. 

4.         The Functional Diagnosis: drafting, reading, multidisciplinary clinical reasoning, rehabilitation project; communication to the family. 

The course contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda:
•    Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;
•    Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The examination will mainly focus on handouts (Power Point), documents and articles provided by the teacher.

Recommended Texts:

- Vicari S., Caselli MC. (a cura di), “Neuropsicologia dello sviluppo”, Il Mulino, Bologna,2010.

Recommended reading

Vicari S., Valeri G., Fava L., “L’autismo. Dalla diagnosi al trattamento, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2012.

- Dawson G. e Rogers S., Earl Start Denver Model. Intervento precoce per l’Autismo. Linguaggio, apprendimento e reciprocità sociale. Omega Edizioni, Torino, 2010.

- Marotta L., Caselli MC, “Disturbi del linguaggio. Caratteristiche, Valutazione, Trattamento”.  Ed.Erickson, Trento, 2014.

- Cornoldi C. “Difficoltà e disturbi dell’apprendimento”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2007

Battaglia F.M, Epidendio V., Schenone S., Pyrovolaki P., La giornata di Niki. Una storia con attività di potenziamento della comunicazione. Ed.  Erickson, Trento, 2015.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The way in which this module is examined will also be preferably oral (open questions) to allow the sharing of the methods of study used by the student and to clarify any doubts that have arisen during the same.

Initially, a favorite topic is asked by the student, and then moved on to two other topics at the discretion of the teacher.

Additional questions may be asked if the student does not respond correctly and/or appears uncertain about the former.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Ability to orient itself within the program, make connections between different development curves, identify emerging, acquired and unacquired functions; Clarity and specificity in the exposure, coherence and correctness of data content in response.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The examination may not be supported unless the relative propedeucity   is respected.                                                                     As these are integrated course exams, not passing a single discipline involves the repetition of the entire exam.