Reading comprehension in some Italian regions. A research to improve the Italian school system

Abstract

National and international studies confirm that the ability to read and understand differents types of  texts is a basic and strategic competence, from which depends the subject's ability to achieve academic and professional success and to build a personal life project. Without an acceptable basis of competence in this field subjects cannot be able even to solve a mathematical or physical problem, or debate about a geo-historical or political issue (Bottani, 2011). The literacy in reading is a transversal cognitive competence that structures thought and reasoning (Olson, 1994) and difficulties in text comprehension represent a socio-cultural problem (Gallina, 2006). As matter of fact, those who do not fully develop reading and comprehension skills find more difficult achieve their goals and to take an active role in the social context, with negative effects on citizenship rights (Lumbelli, 2009). This contribution describes the process of a research entitled “Reading and understanding of the written text: a research in High Schools”, promoted by the University of Salerno and the University of Basilicata.