Experimental cognitive-linguistic assessment in Italian learners of L2 Chinese with dyslexia

This study develops an experimental battery to assess cognitive-linguistic skills in Italian dyslexic and non-dyslexic learners of Chinese as a second language (L2). Adapting tasks used for Chinese native children with dyslexia, the battery targets phonological awareness, Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), orthographic awareness, working memory, morphological awareness, and literacy skills. The goal is to identify predictors of Chinese character acquisition, focusing on challenges faced by dyslexic learners. Early findings indicate how cognitive-linguistic skills interact to influence L2 Chinese acquisition. This research aims to address gaps in dyslexia and L2 Chinese acquisition, offering implications for educational strategies, particularly for dyslexic learners in multilingual contexts.