How does the orthographic transparency of their first-language impact second-language learning in university students with and without dyslexia?

In today’s multicultural world, learning new languages has become essential for students’ academic, personal, and professional development. Skilled reading requires the coordination of visual, phonological, and broader cognitive skills, which may create unique language specific challenges. This project examines first- (L1) and second-language (L2) reading profiles in university students with and without dyslexia, focusing on how differences in the orthographic transparency of the two languages shape reading performance. Although higher education institutions offer extensive L2 instruction, evidence-based guidance on how to support dyslexic students in foreign-language learning remains limited. As a result, L1 accommodations are often applied to L2, a practice that may unintentionally hinder learning when the two languages differ substantially, as in English and Italian. This pilot study—the start of a broader collaborative project—aims to identify the most informative measures, prepare experimental materials, and explore the role of psychological factors and L2 proficiency in shaping individual reading profiles. Ultimately, it seeks to clarify how L1 and L2 demands interact in readers with and without dyslexia, laying the foundations for more effective, language-sensitive support in multilingual education.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Chan-Reynolds

Student:

Partner:

University of Trento

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Trent University

Program: