The Twice Exceptional Learner A Brief Introduction for

The Twice Exceptional Learner A Brief Introduction for Parents S

What Twice Exceptional Means S Generally speaking, twice-exceptional (2 e) learners meet the criteria for both giftedness as well as learning disabled. * S Some 2 e students will be identified as gifted only S Some 2 e students will be identified as learning disabled only S Some 2 e students will not have been identified for either because the cognitive abilities from their giftedness mask their disability, resulting in the appearance of an average

Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners* Indicators of Ability Indicators of Challenge S Interest ranges beyond school S Discrepant verbal and performance abilities: difficulty explaining or expressing ideas/feelings S High levels of problem solving or reasoning skills S Uneven academic skills: appear unmotivated, lack initiative, fail to complete assignments Unusual imagination S Problems with long-term or short term memory S S Lack organizational and study skills S Unable to control impulses S Poor social skills S Easily frustrated and have difficulties maintaining attention for extended time periods. S Superior vocabulary S Bizarre sense of humor S Creative approaches to tasks to compensate

What is the Relevance to Me? S Because 2 e students have the ability to mask their areas of challenge by compensating with their areas of strength, usually high cognitive ability and reasoning or problem-solving skills, they may have hidden the disability through the elementary years. S Middle school represents a shift in the educational process for students and areas of challenge may suddenly appear or seem to “get worse; ” they can suddenly become underachievers. * S Early intervention is key in providing the specific and targeted supports for 2 e students, including modifications or accommodations in the student’s IEP. S As parents, you know your child best and can provide an excellent source for advocacy and support

Areas of Challenge All twice exceptional students will qualify as gifted S Autism S ADHD/ADD S Physical Impairments: deaf, blind, or other physical/orthopedic disability S Emotional Disturbance; struggle with relationships, inappropriate behaviors S Specific Learning Disability: struggles with language; reading, written language, mathematical calculations, processing disorders-including executive functioning S Speech or Language Impairment S Traumatic Brain injury S There are more; see resources for details on how these can manifest.

What to do if a Disability is Suspected S Talk with your child; they can provide valuable information on the nature of the challenge and what they have done to compensate for it in the past. S Schedule a conference with teachers, especially through the counseling office at school; teachers can then begin to observe and document discrepant performance. S Check your child’s test results from the initial diagnostic report; 2 e learners usually have large discrepancies between subtests indicating an area of challenge. S Use the resources with your child to find new strategies for learning; they may not have a disability but just need a new approach to learning. S Do not be afraid to pursue this! You are your child’s best and strongest advocate and you have rights under the law.

Information and Resources S Hoagies Gifted Education: Twice Exceptional Links S hoagiesgifted. org S Child Mind Institute: strategies for executive function skills; these include organization and task completion S executive function and organization strategies S LDOnline: resources including descriptions and strategies for the variety of disorders that exist S www. ldonline. org/indepth topics

Additional Resources S New Mexico Special Education Department: includes links to federal law and parent and student rights. S Public Education Department Special Education S Wrights Law: devoted to parent advocacy for special education S Wrightslaw. com S Special Education Advocacy: information for parents to advocate for all special education services including gifted and twice exceptional S specialeducationadvocacy. org

Bibliography S Beckley, D. (1998, Spring). Gifted and learning disabled: Twice exceptional students. Retrieved from http: //www. gifted. uconn. edu/nrcgt/newsletter/spring 98/sprng 984. html S Davis, L. M. (2015). Special education advocacy. Retrieved from http: //www. specialeducationadvocacy. org/ S Ehmke, R. (2012, August 20). Helping kids who struggle with executive functions. Retrieved from http: //www. childmind. org/en/posts/articles/2012 -8 -20 -helping-kids-executive-functions-organization S Inspiretomorrw 10. (2011, January 25). Twice exceptional. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=0 p. AI 5 Fh. Nnyo&feature=related S K. C. (2015, July 8). Twice exceptional. Retrieved from http: //www. hoagiesgifted. org/twice_exceptional. htm S LDOnline. (2015). LD topics. Retrieved from http: //www. ldonline. org/indepth S New Mexico Public Education Department. (2015). Special education bureau. Retrieved from http: //ped. state. nm. us/ped/SEB_index. html S Nielsen, E. (1994). Characteristics of twice-exceptional children. In Idaho State Department of Education (Ed. ), Twice-exceptional: Students with both gifts and challenges or disabilities (pp. 5 -8). ID: Idaho State Department of Education. S Trail, B. A. (2011). Twice-exceptional gifted children: Understanding, teaching, and counseling gifted students. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press Inc. S Wright, P. W. D. and Wright, P. D. (2013, October 10). Special education advocacy. Retrieved from http: //www. wrightslaw. com/info/advo. index. htm