Gifted and learning disabled in one!

How is it possible for a child to be both gifted and learning disabled?


Dawn Beckley  University of Connecticut   Storrs, CT in 

Gifted and Learning Disabled: Twice Exceptional Students  states that twice -exceptional students are  "atypical learners who are often characterized as smart students with school problems.  These students often tend to be aggressive, careless, and frequently off-task and they can also cause classroom disturbances."

Dr Mike Marcela defined the twice-exceptional child as: "A student who is identified as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic and/or artistic areas; who also has a permanent or temporary cognitive, physical, behavioural, or emotional disability; and who needs an educational program beyond that normally provided by the general school program in order to meet [his/her] potential."


One article I suggest you read is: Imagine Teaching Robin Williams -- Twice-Exceptional Children in Your School  Mary Ruth Coleman of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina states that "the education system is not designed to address the needs of the child who is gifted and has disabilities." 


Proposed guidelines for identifying and meeting the needs of Twice-exceptional (2e)students can be downloaded at http://www.2enewsletter.com/2e_Newsletter_Issue_16.pdf
Gifted Children with Learning Disabilities : Lost Treasures concludes that "the secrets to reaching twice exceptional children are teaching to their strengths, assistive technology, and accommodations in the classroom, such as untimed tests and shorter written assignments."


Cindy Little, managing editor of Gifted Child Today and a PhD candidate at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, agrees. Little, a teacher who has more than 10 years experience in primary level classrooms, notes that schools "want to serve gifted children, but they don't know how to do it. A lot of kids aren't being identified." Watch out for uneven development which should act as a red flag to teachers. Little emphasizes. "If you have a child who can't spell but is a whiz at math, look a little closer."
There are a number of helpful classroom strategies, identified in this article, that you can use with gifted children who have disabilities.

If you would like to learn more about giftedness, LDs, and twice-exceptional children there is much to be found about #twice-exceptional at http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/twice_exceptional.htm and visit 2e Resources Links
Twice Exceptional  also produce a newsletter 6 times per year http://www.2enewsletter.com/ There are a number of sample issues available at http://www.2enewsletter.com/topic_about_sample.html
You can join their mailing list to receive their complimentary e-mail briefing  or choose to find out about events or special offers of interest to the 2e community.


Have you recognised any 2e students in your class? How have you been able to facilitate their learning so they achieve their potential?