GIFTED AND LEARNING EXCEPTIONALITIES

“TWICE EXCEPTIONAL”Amber BeanSarah Boltz Sophie Lee

AMBER’S STORY Amber is all over the place. Her teachers say her binder is an absolute mess, she is consistently off task, she is never sitting in her chair, and that they email her parents for missing and/or incomplete work almost weekly. Her teachers note her unrelated comments and actions distract her and her classmates so much so that she has her “own space” in the classroom. It’s the end of her 5th grade year, and Amber has qualified for 504 services from her diagnosis of ADHD. When Amber gets to middle school, her Social Studies teacher, Ms. Smith, notes how creative, thoughtful, and inquisitive she is during their two-week economic simulation. Amber chooses her topic, completes her portion of the work, and enacts her role to perfection. Through encouragement and an extra watchful eye, her teacher has enough documentation that she includes Amber in the CISS qualification process. Amber tests, and she qualifies for being gifted. She is now classified as a “Twice Exceptional (2e)” student.

DUAL EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS ARE: 1. Students who are identified as gifted and talented in one or more areas of exceptionality (Specific academics, general intellectual ability, creativity, leadership, visual, and performing arts); And also identified with 2. A disability defined by Federal/ State eligibility criteria: specific learning disability, significant identifiable, emotional disability, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, autism or ADHD.

OTHER STRATEGIES Nurturing environment Specifically differentiated resources IEP with accommodations (academic, behavioral, social) 504 Plan with accommodations (academic, behavioral, social) Use of technology Student choice Peer/Adult mentor (“check in, check out”) Understanding of both exceptionalities Flexibility

FINAL TAKEAWAY Linda Silverman, Ph.D., the director of the Gifted Development Center has found that fully 1/6 of gifted children tested at the GDC have a learning difference of some type.

So what does that mean? Unidentified students whose gifts and disabilities may be masked by average achievement. How can be more aware of these students?