Conference Program

Learning to Learn (L2L) is a core competence for lifelong learning, as it supports individuals’ ability to autonomously organize and manage their learning pathways throughout life (Council of the European Union, 2018). The study method can be understood as the operational dimension of L2L, as it represents an integrated set of cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and organizational processes that enable students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning, consciously adapting strategies to the specific demands of different subjects. However, when this competence is not explicitly and systematically taught, its development tends to follow uneven trajectories—particularly among students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In these cases, weaknesses in executive functions and self-regulation processes (APA, 2022; Barkley, 1997) hinder independent study management, time organization, deep text comprehension, and the development of effective strategic repertoires (Traversetti & Rizzo, 2023). Without targeted instructional guidance, access to the L2L competence may thus be compromised, with negative consequences for academic achievement and the fulfillment of individual potential.

This contribution presents and discusses the initial findings of a research-training project with a quasi-experimental design, involving first-year lower secondary school classes in two Italian regions. Through teacher training and the implementation of an operational toolkit, the project aims to promote students’ study methods. The assessment of study competences was conducted using the AMOS 8–15 battery (Cornoldi et al., 2005), which provides a comprehensive evaluation of cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational dimensions related to the acquisition of an autonomous and personal study approach.

A descriptive analysis of the sample, integrated with a comparison against AMOS normative data, allowed for the delineation of students’ Learning to Learn profiles at the beginning of lower secondary school. Particular attention was given to dimensions of self-regulation, organization, and study skills, and to the trajectories of students with SLDs and ADHD.

Preliminary results make it possible to discuss the extent to which the competence of “learning to study” is distributed within the sample and whether inequalities intersect with special educational needs, particularly in the presence of SLDs or ADHD. The paper concludes with reflections on the pedagogical relevance of these baseline findings in shaping evidence-based interventions on study methods—conceived from a perspective of equity and Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2018)—to support the full development of every student’s learning potential.