MYTH BUSTER Edition #1
Gifted Students Don't Have Learning Disabilities
Who Says that Gifted Students Can't Have Learning Disabilities?
The statement that students identified with a learning disability cannot be gifted is pure fiction. Some gifted students can have a learning disability but have exceptional capabilities in other areas. Did you know that inventor Alexander Graham Bell, and Richard Branson, entrepreneur both are said to have Dyslexia - a reading disability? Reyn Guyer - inventor or the Nerf ball as well as Delos Cosgrove, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon and inventor of medical devices also have reading disabilities. These people weren't defined or limited by their disabilities and their giftedness has helped them better our world.
Giftedness in students with learning disabilities is easily overlooked. Don't let a diagnosed learning disability keep you from seeing the giftedness in your students.