These are some common characteristics of twice exceptional learners (according to the Davidson Institute):

• outstanding critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• above average sensitivity, causing them to react more intensely to sounds, tastes, smells, etc.

• strong sense of curiosity

• low self esteem due to perfectionism

• poor social skills

• strong ability to concentrate deeply in areas of interest

• difficulties with reading and writing due to cognitive processing deficits

• behavioral problems due to underlying stress, boredom, and lack of motivation

Academic Strategies:

• provide dual/simultaneous differentiation - give the student opportunities to develop their strengths and explore their interests while providing appropriate supports to help them access the learning

• give the student voice and choice - let them express...

  • what they'd like to learn

  • how they would like to approach their learning based on preferred learning style (for example, providing an audio version of a text or a related video to access the content)

  • how they want to show their learning (for example, allowing them to give an oral report rather than write a paper, create a visual representation of a math concept, make a video rather than give a live presentation, etc.)

  • which environmental conditions would would most likely help them to engage (for example, granting the freedom to get up and move, letting them use a fidget device, providing frequent breaks, playing music on low volume, etc.)

 

Social-Emotional Strategies:

• support the student's executive function skills, such as helping them create an organizational system that works for them or how to prioritize tasks in a given time frame

• give the student accommodations to support their need for emotional regulation, such as the freedom to take a walk when feeling angry/frustrated or a quiet place to go to for a while when feeling overwhelmed

• teach the student that it's okay to make mistakes, that we learn from mistakes, and that being perfect is unrealistic

• encourage and empower the student to advocate for themselves when their needs are not being met

• foster a positive, inclusive environment while encouraging socialization among peers

• model and role play empathy and situational awareness

Advanced Learning Plan (ALP)

Focuses on empowering the student to use their strengths and develop their talents.

• provides individualized academic differentiation to support advanced learning needs

• builds upon student's area(s) of giftedness, interests, passions, etc.

• supports the student's unique social and emotional needs that come with being gifted

 

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan

Provides appropriate accommodations so that the student can access the content and learn in the least-restrictive environment.

• works best when it supports the student's strengths while addressing their disability

• ensures proper modifications for the student's disability so that the student can then have opportunities to demonstrate their strengths and talents --> this truly is the least restrictive environment

 

Guidance for IEP and ALP working together

When an ALP (Advanced Learning Plan)  is present in a students program tab in Frontline, the case manager should connect with the person responsible for creating the ALP (Gifted and Talented Advisor (GTA), Gifted and Talented (GT) Teacher, or Counselor) in the building. 

 

Questions the case manager could ask?

1. What are the student’s identified strength area(s)in the ALP? This information can be added to the strength’s section of the IEP. 

2. How are the student’s ALP goals being met? This information can be summarized in the present levels. 

3. Would the GT person in the building like to participate in the IEP meeting?  This can ensure the ALP and the IEP work together and so each teacher knows what the student is working on. The GTA may not need to attend the whole meeting but could come during a portion of it. 

4. How can the ALP and the IEP work together? How can we ensure that the case manager is incorporating strength-based learning into their teaching as well as the GTA incorporating accommodations when needed into the GT programming. 

 

Supporting Giftedness with ADHD

Students with ADHD typically exhibit at least one of these symptoms (according to author Dr. Thomas Armstrong):

• hyperactivity, or an inability to sit still

• impulsivity, or an inability to control one's actions

• inattention, or an inability to concentrate and a tendency to be easily distracted

Students with ADHD might find transitions difficult, struggle to complete work, alienate peers, lack organizational skills, talk excessively, procrastinate or forget things, are overstimulated, have difficulty with written expression, have low self esteem, have diminishing persistence on tasks, have no filter (everything seems important), etc.

Students who are gifted and have ADHD have lots of strengths. Let these students know about their areas of strength. Develop their strengths by helping them channel their energy productively and positively. Common strengths among students who are gifted and have ADHD:

• advanced vocabulary

• strong sense of humor

• highly creative

• wide interests

• strong background knowledge (schema)

• intense curiosity

• strong memory for things that interest them

• abundant idea generation

• ability to hyperfocus when interested

 

To support their disability while focusing on their strengths, do the following:

• provide depth, complexity, novelty, and more intriguing tasks

• adjust work time based on complexity of task

• provide higher levels of intellectual stimulation

• promote self awareness (ex: "Am I behind in my planning?" or "Am I disorganized?")

• help them visualize and learn from past experiences (ex: "What worked or didn't work in the past?" or "What actions do I need to change?"

• teach them self-talk to modulate their future behaviors (ex: "What specific elements do I need to research for my project and why?")

• utilize technology

• use curriculum compacting to minimize repetition and boredom

  • use pretests to differentiate content

  • eliminate content that is already known

  • allow for enrichment

• accelerate when necessary:  subject acceleration, grade skipping, advanced courses, early graduation / early admission into college

 

Supporting Giftedness with Autism

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication (according to autismspeaks.org).

Students with autism tend to be better at understanding systems, than understanding people. They tend to prefer working with computers and machines and doing tasks with straightforward logic. They typically do not know how to predict what others think and can have great difficulties socializing. They also have challenges reading emotions and as a result do not know how to interact with people well. They might seem to lack empathy. Additionally, students with autism tend to think in visual images rather than words.

Students who are gifted and have autism have lots of strengths. Let these students know about and give them opportunities to develop their areas of strength. Common strengths among students who are gifted and have autism:

• attention to detail

• logical, insightful, independent thinkers and learners

• can be highly skilled and have encyclopedic knowledge in a particular area of interest

• less concern for what others might think of them

• thinks in visuals who can see the "big picture"

• honest

• nonjudgmental

• loyal

• direct communication - they say what they mean and mean what they say

 

To support their disability while focusing on their strengths, do the following:

• design learning experiences that are visual and concrete with explicit, logical steps and connections

• teach them how to understand, control, and express their own emotions

• role play how to recognize facial expressions and identify the emotional states of others

• show them how to understand the unwritten rules of social interactions through direct instruction and social narratives

• build up their capacity and skills to increase their motivation in non-preferred subject areas

Supporting Giftedness with Dyslexia

Students with dyslexia have difficulties with reading and writing. This in turn can cause enormous challenges in a school system that heavily relies on students' abilities to read and write with ever increasing sophistication and complexity.

Check out this ADD/ADHD Simulator video.

 

Students who are gifted and have dyslexia have lots of strengths. Let these students know about and give them opportunities to develop their areas of strength. Common strengths among students who are gifted and have dyslexia:

• able to identify and determine more quickly whether it's possible or impossible to build/create "impossible objects" (examples include M.C. Escher paintings or Mobius strips)

• excellent three dimensional visualization

• many have artistic talent

• can easily recognize patterns and anomalies

• can be especially creative

• have entrepreneurial abilities

• divergent thinkers

 

To support their disability while focusing on their strengths, do the following:

• have them work with manipulatives, such as clay, when creating and learning words

• illustrate any written work that they do so that they can express their learning using visuals

• provide them with opportunities to verbally communicate, such as telling stories and practicing applying vocabulary

• use assistive technology, such as speech-to-text apps

• encourage them to think about career opportunities that align with their gifts and/or how to create their own business utilizing their creativity

• show them positive role models, especially famous people who have learning disabilities and maximized their strengths and became successful

Supporting Giftedness with Anxiety or Depression

Students with severe anxiety or depression disorders may experience severe emotional disturbance (SED).

Anxiety in students who are gifted might manifest in the following ways:

• undue worry, fear, or distress about performance, such as fear of failure

• dread or avoidance of situations that might trigger fear or embarrassment

• avoiding challenge

• low frustration tolerance

• irritability, outbursts, or disruptive behavior

• complaining of and/or experiencing minor health issues, such as headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, etc.

• problems with concentration or memory

• struggles with changing sleep patterns or decreasing appetite

• self sabotage

• social withdrawal

Depression in students who are gifted might manifest in the following ways:

• increased irritability, sulkiness, rudeness, or anger (more common in boys or older children)

• clinging to parent and worrying that parent might die (more common in younger children)

• becoming quiet and withdrawn (more common in girls)

• feelings of worthlessness

• frequent complaints of physical illnesses, such as headaches or stomachaches

• difficulty sleeping

• changing eating habits

• trouble concentrating or making decisions

• increasing absences, discipline problems, and/or refusal to go to school

• difficulty with family relationships

 

Students who are gifted and have anxiety or depression need lots of support:

• separate the student from the worry

• provide a safe space for them to open up and talk about their worries

• foster a warm, supportive, and accepting learning environment

• help change their internal dialogue

• give judgment-free responses

• let them have a break and go outside

• have them drink water to bring down levels of cortisol

• teach deep breathing techniques and mindfulness exercises

• encourage them to exercise

• have them keep a gratitude journal to focus on the positives

• emphasize effort over outcomes

• be flexible with time constraints

• provide choices for showing their learning

• be positive, not punitive

• teach them positive self-talk, resilience, and that it's okay to fail and learn from failure

Supporting 3e or Multi-Exceptionality (Me)

A 3e or Me learner is someone who is gifted, who has a disability, and is culturally-linguistic diverse and/or experiences another form of marginalization. These students experience the triple challenges of being advanced learners while having a disability while also having to navigate the majority school culture in school as a member of a social minority (and sometimes oppressed) culture. They have unique strengths and gifts, and require differentiated approaches.

Students who are 3e/Me have lots of strengths. Let these students know about and give them opportunities to develop their areas of strength. Common strengths among students who are 3e/Me:

• able to code switch (changing one's language, dialect, or speaking style to better 'fit in' at school)

• quick to pick up on grammar and language mechanics

• have unique funds of knowledge

• curious

• eager to learn

• willing to take risks

• divergent thinkers

 

To support students who are 3e/Me, do the following:

• help these students feel a sense of belonging (avoid treating them as outsiders)

  • make it clear that students' languages and cultures are an asset and a strength

• set high expectations and believe in their potential and strengths

• receive training in culturally-responsive teaching

• teach students to validate one another

• use students' cultures as a framework for designing and delivering instruction that aligns with student interests as well as academic/curriculum goals

• teach self-regulation strategies to empower students to take ownership of their learning and achievement

• utilize their innate potential for critical thinking, creativity, and challenge

• create strong relationships with and work with families of these students to strengthen their advocacy skills

• ask families to serve as "cultural agents" and provide information about family and community norms and traditions that impact student achievement and the way that families engage with students in other environments outside of school

• invite community leaders to serve as mentors, role models, and providers of other supports needed by these students

• develop a network of family leaders who can be trained and train others in the specific language and strategies of special education and gifted education

• invite culturally-diverse guest speakers who can talk about their own experiences and successes

 

Want to learn more about meeting the needs of students who are twice exceptional? Check out these resources:

• Colorado Department of Education

• 2e Twice Exceptional Newsletter

• National Association for Gifted Children

• Colorado Association for Gifted & Talented

• Jefferson Country Public Schools

• Council for Exceptional Children

• Uniquely Gifted

• Understood

• With Understanding Comes Calm

• Gifted Development Center

• Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

• Hoagie's GIfted Education

• Davidson Institute

• book: Twice Exceptional: Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative Students with Learning Disabilities by Scott Barry Kaufman

• book: Twice Exceptional Kids: A Guide for Assisting Students who are both Academically Gifted and Learning Disabled by Rosemary Callard-Szulgit

• book: Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders (2nd ed.) by James T. Webb, Edward R. Amend, and Paul Beljan

• book: Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom by Emily Kircher-Morris

NOTE: The BVSD Gifted Education office has a collection of books on 2e/Me and giftedness that you are welcome to borrow.

 

"Let's Talk 2e"  - This is a series of information sessions about how to support twice exceptional (or 2e) learners (students who receive both special education and gifted education services).

• What is Twice Exceptionality?  slide deck  and  video

• Twice Exceptional: Myths & Misconceptions   slide deck  and  video

• Practical Supports for Home and School  slide deck  and  video