Twice Exceptional Students
Giftedness With A Learning Disability
Dispelling A Myth
Stereotype: Gifted students do not have learning disabilities.
Colangelo, Nicholas. 36 Myths and Stereotypes of Gifted Students: Awareness for the Classroom Teacher. ( )
Through Policy/Program Memorandum No. 8 (PPM 8), issued August, 2014, the Ministry of Education defines learning disability as one of a number of neurodevelopmental disorders that persistently and significantly has an impact on the ability to learn and use academic and other skills (Click here to access the full PPM 8 definition). The definition states that a student’s intellectual abilities must be at least in the average range to be identified under Learning Disability, and that a student must show academic underachievement inconsistent with their intellectual abilities, or academic achievement that can be maintained by the student only with extremely high levels of effort and/or with additional support. This definition leaves room for identification under Gifted and under Learning Disability, but the Ministry of Education does not provide a definition of Gifted/LD. However, a student may be identified with more than one exceptionality.
ONLINE RESOURCE:
http://ldatschool.ca/assessment/gifted-students-with-lds-what-teachers-need-to-know/
INFORMATION & STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING
Intellectual Ability - Challenge
- Use active inquiry involving discussion and experimentation
- Provide open-ended challenges requiring divergent thinking, especially in small-group settings
- Consider students’ preferred learning styles, interest, and strengths
- Based on student interests, incorporate opportunities for students to investigate real-world problems for real audiences
- Provide sufficient time for students to work without interruption
- Use POW or a similar strategy for writing -- students Pick their own ideas, Organize their notes, and Write and then say more by writing again (Margolis & McCabe, 2006)
- Use acceleration and curriculum compacting in strength areas<
- Teach whole concepts and then parts rather than part-to-whole
- Teach creative thinking and dramatics (Starko, 2004)
- Provide students with the rationale for tasks and lessons
- Provide students with detailed rubrics, checklists, or performance lists to reduce frustration
Organizational Skills
- Use active inquiry involving discussion and experimentation
- Provide open-ended challenges requiring divergent thinking, especially in small-group settings
- Consider students’ preferred learning styles, interest, and strengths
- Based on student interests, incorporate opportunities for students to investigate real-world problems for real audiences
- Provide sufficient time for students to work without interruption
- Use POW or a similar strategy for writing -- students Pick their own ideas, Organize their notes, and Write and then say more by writing again (Margolis & McCabe, 2006)
- Use acceleration and curriculum compacting in strength areas<
- Teach whole concepts and then parts rather than part-to-whole
- Teach creative thinking and dramatics (Starko, 2004)
- Provide students with the rationale for tasks and lessons
- Provide students with detailed rubrics, checklists, or performance lists to reduce frustration
Social Skills / Anxiety
- Tap into students’ strengths by using bibliotherapy (the use of books to change behaviour and/or reduce stress), cinematherapy (a form of therapy or self-help that uses movies, particularly videos, as therapeutic tools), biographies and autobiographies, inspirational quotes, and self-help and how-to books (Halsted, 2002)
- Offer peer or group counseling sessions to address issues of self-concept, self-esteem, fear of failure, negative interactions with teachers, and poor peer relations
- Encourage individual counseling to address chronic behavioral or familial difficulties
- Encourage the use of reflective journals employing various modalities to address issues of self-esteem or self-efficacy
Conduct short- and long-term goal setting sessions
Time Management Skills
- Provide shortened class assignments to support short-term goal-setting strategies
- Teach learning strategies that provide students with a logical sequence of steps that make attacking difficult tasks more manageable (Margolis & McCabe, 2006) (e.g., the Strategic Instruction Model, University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning, 2008, which employs specific strategies for reading, remembering, writing, performing math operations, and demonstrating competence. These explicit approaches are useful to enhance success and confidence in students who are identified as gifted/LD.)
- Teach self-regulation strategies such as chunking and setting short- and long-term goals (Zimmerman, Bonner, & Kovach, 1996)
Teachers' Gateway to Special Education
Intellectual
http://www.teachspeced.ca/giftedness?q=node/707
Organizational Skills
http://www.teachspeced.ca/giftedness?q=node/715
Social / Emotional Skills
http://www.teachspeced.ca/giftedness?q=node/725
Time Management Skills
Click here to visit the LDonline website and access an article on students who are gifted and LD.
Click here to visit the LDonline website and access an article on Gifted Children who have ADHD.
Click here to visit the NCLD website and access an article on gifted/LD.
The National Resource Center on Gifted & Talented (University of Connecticut) offers research-based and online resources:
ONLINE RESOURCE:
http://ldatschool.ca/assessment/gifted-students-with-lds-what-teachers-need-to-know/
Bees, Corinne. (2009). Gifted and Learning Disabled: A Handbook. The Advocacy Group for Gifted/LD. Vancouver, BC.
Ontario Ministry of Education - Special Education
Association of Bright Children of Ontario
Growing Success Document
Twice Exceptional: Gifted Student with Learning Disabilities by Marcy J. Douglass, May 2007, and revised by Carol Tieso, April 2008.
Professionally Speaking ~ March 2012 - "Teaching The Gifted"
Ontario Ministry of Education - Special Education Links
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Link to EDU Special Education: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/speced.html
Link to Ministry of Education: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/
Ministry Calendar of Education Events http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca/PLCalendar/MonthCalendar/search.aspx
Legislation http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca
Regulation 181 (Identification And Placement Of Exceptional Pupils) http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_980181_e.htm
Regulation 296 (Ontario Schools For The Blind And The Deaf) http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900296_e.htm
Regulation 298 (Operation Of Schools — General) http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900298_e.htm
Regulation 306 (Special Education Programs And Services) http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900306_e.htm
Regulation 464 (Special Education Advisory Committees) http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_970464_e.htm
Regulation 374/10, (Supervised Alternative Learning and Other Excusals from Attendance at School)
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2010/elaws_src_regs_r10374_e.htm
PPMs http://edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/ppm.html
PPM 1: Ontario Schools for the Blind and Deaf as Resource Centres
PPM 8: Learning Disabilities
PPM 11: Early identification of children's learning needs
PPM 59: Psychological Testing and Assessment of Pupils
PPM 76C: Alternative Educational Programs and Services for Deaf, Blind, and Deaf-Blind Exceptional Pupils
PPM 81: Provision of Health Support Services in School Settings
PPM 85: Educational Programs for Pupils in Government-Approved Care and/or Treatment Facilities
PPM 89: The residential demonstration schools for students with learning disabilities: General information and details of the referral process
PPM 127: The Secondary School Literacy Graduation Requirement (PDF, 88 KB)
PPM 131: Home schooling
PPM 140: Incorporating methods of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) into programs for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (PDF, 64 KB)
PPM 149: Protocol For Partnerships With External Agencies For Provision Of Services By Regulated Health Professionals, Regulated Social Service Professionals, And Paraprofessionals (PDF, 40 KB)
PPM 151: Professional Activity Days Devoted To Provincial Education Priorities (PDF, 48 KB)
PPM 155: Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Student Learning
PPM 156: Supporting Transitions For Students With Special Education Needs
Memos
Memo Summary (by month) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/memos/
Funding Memos http://faab.edu.gov.on.ca/Memos.htm
Oct. 12, 2006: Special Education Transformation Initiatives
Dec. 19, 2011: Categories of Exceptionalities
Feb. 10, 2012: Elementary and Secondary Provincial Report Cards: Codes ALT and NM in place of Letter Grades and Percentage Marks
Aug 26 13: Draft: Supporting Minds An Educator's Guide to Promoting Students' Mental Health and Well-being (Supporting Minds)
Aug 29 13: Supporting Bias-Free Progressive Discipline in Schools: A Resource Guide for Schools and System Leaders
Sept 24 13: Supporting Continuous Improvement of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Transition Planning for Students with Special Education Needs through Learning for All K-12 Provincial Network Team
Sept 25 13: Memo: Creating Pathways to Success, Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12
Creating Pathways to Success, Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12
IPRC / IEP
Special Education, A Guide for Educators, 2001
Part A: Legislation and Policy (includes roles and exceptionalities) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/specedpartae.pdf
Part D: The Identification, Placement and Review Process (includes timelines and info for Appeals, Tribunals)
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/specedpartde.pdf
Part E: The Individual Education Plan (IEP) http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/specedpartee.pdf
The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee
The Individual Education Plan Process
The Education Act on Special Education
Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation
Individual Education Plan (IEP) Samples
The Individual Education Plan (IEP), A Resource Guide, 2004
Electronic IEP Template http://www.iep.edu.gov.on.ca/IEPWeb/ User Name: IEPDemo Password: demo
Principals Want to Know #11: Individual Education Plans: Principals' Roles and Responsibilities
Principals Want to Know #12: IPRC and IEP
Principals Want to Know #13: IEP Development and Implementation: Shared Solutions
Resolving Identification or Placement Issues (Procedures for Parents/Guardians)
Shared Solutions – A Guide to Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding Programs and Services for Students with Special Education Needs
IEP 101 Workshop for Students and Parents http://www.ldao.ca/workshops-courses/iep-101-online-workshop-for-parents-and-students/
Ontario Special Education Tribunals http://www.oset-tedo.ca/eng/index.html
AUTISM
Effective Educational Practices for Students with ASD 2007 (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/autismSpecDis.html
Making a Difference http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/nr/07.02/autismFeb07.pdf
Autism Intervention Program Guideline Revision http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/specialneeds/autism/programs.aspx
Connections for Students Supporting Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
http://www.ontariodirectors.ca/ASD/asd-english.html
MCYS Expanding Autism Services and Supports
http://news.ontario.ca/mcys/en/2010/12/ontario-helping-more-kids-with-autism-and-their-families.html
Applied Behaviour Analysis-based Services and Supports for Children and Youth with ASD
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/specialneeds/autism/guidelines/guidelines-2011.aspx
Introduction to Autism: Free Online Series for Educators elearning.autism.net/en/
MENTAL HEALTH
School Mental Health ASSIST http://smh-assist.ca/
Children and Mental Health Webinar http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/memos/feb2012/soutien.html
http://conn-o.osapac.org/mh/
Draft: Supporting Minds An Educator's Guide to Promoting Students' Mental Health and Well-being (Supporting Minds)
Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health http://www.excellenceforchildandyouth.ca/
http://www.excellenceforchildandyouth.ca/about-mental-health/literacy
An Online Mental Health Resource Directory for Your Community eMentalHealth.ca
Children's Mental Health Ontario http://www.kidsmentalhealth.ca/
Hincks-Dellcrest, The ABC’s of Mental Health a Teacher’s Resource http://www.hincksdellcrest.org/
Respect, Recovery, Resilience: Recommendations for Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/ministry/publications/reports/mental_health/mentalhealth_rep.pdf
Offord Centre for Child Studies: Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development http://www.offordcentre.com/
Parents for Children’s Mental Health http://www.pcmh.ca/Ontario
Building Resilience in Young Children www.beststart.org/resources/hlthy_chld_dev/index.html
Canadian Self-Regulation Initiative http://www.self-regulation.ca/
Stepping Stones - A Resource on Youth Development
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/documents/topics/youthopportunities/steppingstones/SteppingStones.pdf