Language intervention on clitic phrases and passive structures in an Italo-Bengali child with a learning disability. A mixed explicit/implicit approach using TUF and syntactic priming.

Abstract

The present dissertation is a case study on an Italo-Bengali 8-year-old girl with suspected Learning Disability and severe problems related to the Italian language, especially in comprehension. The research project provides a general assessment of the participant’s Italian language skills in comprehension and production through standardized and non-standardized language tests. It continues with a language intervention which uses both explicit an implicit instruction of complex sentences like reflexive clitics phrases, direct object clitic phrases and passive structures. The explicit instruction phase involves sentence manipulation activities focused on syntactic movements and activities using the TUF method (Treatment of Underlying Forms). The implicit instruction phase involves priming sessions of the mentioned complex structures. Finally, a post-intervention assessment is carried out. The first chapter is dedicated to a literature review on bilingualism and SLI. The second chapter discusses theoretical issues related to explicit instruction in complex structures and syntactic priming as implicit learning. The third chapter deals with the participant and the study. A final discussion follows, in which an interpretation of the collected data and a comparison with previous findings are provided.