Double Trouble
Twice-Exceptional Gifted Learners
Five Characteristics of Gifted Learners
Abstract, insightful, and complex thinking
Highly developed curiosity
Highly sensitive with strong emotional reactions
Atypical vocabulary with complex sentence structure
Imaginative and daydreamy
Leadership capabilities
- Inquisitive
Five Characteristics of Twice-Exceptional Learner
Atypical learners, often characterized as smart, but struggle in school.
Frequently frustrated by academic struggles related to their disability resulting in aggressive, careless, and off-task behaviors.
Perceive themselves to be less capable in academic areas and may appear shy OR conversely may use humor inappropriately to deflect attention from self.
Continuing struggles and failure in school may lead to poor academic self-concept and a lack of belonging to a peer group.
Sensitive with regards to area of disability and may be highly self-critical
Display unusual imagination, may appear to daydream, and generate unique ideas.
- Engage in frequent questioning of the teacher regarding facts and information presented in class, may appear disrespectful.
Five Challenges for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Learners
“Students may appear to possess average abilities due to the fact that their abilities and disabilities mask each other.” (Beckley, D., 1998, p. 3)
Identification of giftedness and learning disability are difficult due to tests targeting different skills. Tests for giftedness do not accurately identify learning disabilities and vice versa. Learning disabilities may cause students to underperform on tests of giftedness.
A 2000 study by Johns Hopkins University found that most school systems do not have procedures in place to identify and/or meet the needs of this special population.
Some 2e students, especially middle and high schoolers, refuse accommodations because they feel it is “intellectual cheating”.
- Students who struggle with a learning disability risk losing their placement in the gifted program as opposed to being evaluated for a possible learning disability.
Five Benefits of Being a Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Learner
Increases diversity within the classroom
Lessons focused on building a student’s strengths versus focus on disability/area of weakness for “typical” special education students.
Strengths and areas of giftedness build confidence, uplift and support areas of weakness.
Encourages collaboration among teachers from different areas of the school including subject areas, special education, and gifted services.
- Giftedness provides an avenue for additional extracurricular activities such as chess club, academic clubs, and related arts programs.
Five Recomendations for Educators to Aid Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Learners
- Differentiate instruction
Incorporate differentiation based on learning profile, interest, and level of readiness will help students learn their strengths and continue to be challenged. Provide multiple, meaningful activities or learning centers to extend their thinking. Allow students to choose from activities that appeal to their interests. Work with 2e students to improve their weaknesses and build on their strengths. Provide multiple outlets to demonstrate learning.
- Group homogeneously
Giving advanced students opportunities to work with other students at the same level can often push their development. In a differentiated classroom, students are at different levels for different skills, so there is time to work in mixed groups as well.
- Remediate
A frustrated student who comes across as lazy may simply need more guidance or encouragement to overcome his disability. Assign individualized tasks that develop student’s gifts that also allow them to work around their disability.
- Teach critical and creative thinking.
Explicit strategies, like encapsulation, mind mapping, visualization, questioning, point of view, and analogies keep 2e students engaged and draw on their problem-solving skills.
- Modify with technology and alternate avenues of learning
Resources
Beckley, D. (1998) Gifted and learning disabled: Twice exceptional students. National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Storrs, CT.
Bracamonte, M. (2010). Twice exceptional students: Who are they and what do they need? Retrieved from: http://www.2enewsletter.com/article_2e_what_are_they.html on 11/2/15.
Characteristics and Behaviors of the Gifted retrieved from:
http://www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html on 11/2/15.
Collins, L. (2008). Twice exceptional/twice successful: Back to school strategies that work. Retrieved from: http://sengifted.org/archives/articles/twice-exceptionaltwice-successful-back-to-school-strategies-that-work on 11/2/15.
Common Characteristics of Gifted Individuals retrieved from: https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/my-child-gifted/common-characteristics-gifted-individuals on 11/2/15.
Lieberman, Daina. “Road Tested/Ten Tips for Teaching the Twice-Exceptional Student” Educational Update. Volume 55. November (2013): 5-6. www.ascd.org. 11/2/2015.