Sunday, December 8, 2013

What Do You Already Know About Twice-Exceptional Students

Twice-exceptionality is a major topic in the field of gifted education. Before you begin this module, describe what you already know about this population of students.

67 comments:

  1. I believe that to be twice exceptional means that a child is intelectually gifted, but also has some form of learning difficulty or physcial impairment.
    Katrina Kimbrell

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  2. Twice exceptional students, like all students, have a wide range of talents and abilities; however, their exceptionality sometimes masks their giftedness or makes it difficult to understand. Twice exceptional students oftentimes have additional challenges to overcome before we as teachers are fully able to see the traits of their giftedness. For example, students who have ADD or ADHD may not be able to focus or attend to a task for long enough to have any sort of "task commitment" despite their high levels of creative productivity. We may hear teachers say "He would be so smart if he could just _______." We must carefully assess twice exceptional students and learn their strengths and weaknesses. We can best meet their needs by teaching through their strengths and allowing them to use their talents to overcome other challenges.

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  3. I'm BRAND new to the world of gifted education so my knowledge is limited. What it sounds like to me is that a child labelled 2e has a disability (learning or physical) of some kind but is also gifted.

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  4. Twice Exceptional students are gifted students with some manner of "disability". I just recently acquired a new student with Asperger's/ADHD and so this subject area is fascinating to me because I am currently working on the best approach for this student's educational plan. He is brilliant and has an incredibly high IQ but almost never sits down, interrupts class 10-15 times in the middle of instruction and has behavioral meltdowns when he is frustrated. He has an aid but oddly enough does not seem to "need" him as much in my class. I am also told that he works more efficiently for me and with less issue and argument. Some of this is due to my insistence to hold him to a rigorous standard and expect his cooperation, but I am waiting for the day that he "erupts" on my watch. I have seen and heard it, but have not experienced it first-hand. I need the material in this module right now in order to mold instruction for him and while my knowledge is limited I do know that holding that high standard, providing options and allowing rigorous independent study with Type II and III experiences will help him stay focused and be challenged.
    Lindsey Irvin

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  6. A twice-exceptional (2e) student is one that has not only gifted characteristics, but also has some sort of other disability (physical, social, or intellectual) which often times masks the child's giftedness. For example, I have had students who are both gifted and ADHD or ADD. These students can be difficult to handle due to their hyperactivity and reflect underachievement due to the inability to focus and complete work in a timely manner. To the average teacher, this student could get looked past for gifted referrals due to low scores and bad behavior. Another example of a 2e child is one who is handicapped through disease or physical abnormality, yet has a brilliant mind hiding within a body that has difficulty communicating. In addition, many autistic children are intellectually gifted although socially inadequate. Finally, there are simply students who have a low ability in one academic area, such as reading or writing which requires remediation, which prevents them from getting recognized for their gifts in another area such as in math or science, or oral communications. All in all, 2e students tend to underachieve in at least one area due to their inept abilities in another.

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  7. My view of twice-exceptional students has been shaped by the experiences within my classroom with these students and then the research that has followed. 2E students are those who are both gifted and have some other diagnoses, whether it be a learning disability, physical disability, or a diagnosis like ODD, ADD/HD, or autism. 2E students have unique needs based on both exceptionalities, and oftentimes one will find the needs of one exceptionality can either complement or contradict the needs of the other. Often it can be hard to diagnose either giftedness or the disability because one of the exceptionalities masks the other. An example from my classroom is a student who has recently been diagnosed with a mild form of dyslexia - we did not catch this until fifth grade because the student was able to maintain high reading grades through making adaptations on his own. I think that a lot of times it is hard for teachers to meet the needs of 2E students because they are so incredibly unique and complex.

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  8. Twice exceptional students are students that have been identified as intellectually gifted but have some form of disability as well. The list of disabilities is varied. Some examples are attention deficit disorder, visual or auditory processing disorder, and autism. The child’s disability usually causes problems in the regular classroom. I have two students in my gifted program this year that are identified as twice-exceptional. They are both good at visual perception, but they lack verbal and social skills. I understand why teachers might question how they are gifted. However, in my classroom it is very evident they are gifted.

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  9. Twice exceptional students are students that possess characteristics of both giftedness and a disability. This disability can be a learning disability or a physical disability. These students are often hard to diagnose because their disability can mask their giftedness or vice versa. There is a common misconception with teachers that students can not be gifted if they have a disability/IEP, so these students are not often referred for testing. Also, if these students are already labeled as gifted and begin to struggle in a subject area, it is hard for the teacher to see that they might have a learning disability in that one area rather than thinking that they are just lazy.

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  10. I do not know much about 2E students, but from what I can tell they are students that have disabilities of some sort but also display characteristics of giftedness. These disabilities can be physical, social, and intellectual. The disability may cause their giftedness to be masked, the giftedness could cause the disability to be masked, or they could mask each other. This reminds me of my cousin Gant. He is in 10th grade and very smart. His whole life he has been very different than other people in my family. He is nothing like his parents who are both very outgoing and have great personalities. Gant is socially awkward and has little quirks that make him hard to be around. I have secretly diagnosed him with Asperger's because he is very smart and has a great memory, but he has all of the traits of that disability as well. I believe Gant is one of those students that falls into the category of both giftedness and disability being masked. It is really sad because I believe he could have benefitted from having services in both areas. As teachers, we must take the time to look at each individual student and try to diagnose them appropriately. It could make a huge difference in their future education.

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  11. Twice-exceptional students refer to those who are considered gifted but also suffer from learning disability. It can be anything from dyslexia or other visual impairments to ADHD or autism. 2E students often are not identified because the teachers tend to look at their misbehavior or suffering grades as just that. They think that just because the student is misbehaving or making poor grades, they couldn't be considered gifted as well. Students who are considered 2E often suffer from their disability and need even more help that those who are simply gifted. Because they are not confident and tend to mask their giftedness, they require a lot of encouragement from their teachers, parents and peers.

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  12. The twice exceptional student is a student who is gifted that happens to have a diagnosis of a condition, a physical disability, or a learning disability. The diagnosis could be ADHD, ADD, OCD, medicl autism, ODD, SPD, or a wide range of behavioral issue that could hinder a child's education. These students' gifted characteristics are often overlooked by teachers due to their inabilities rather than scrutinizing their true abilities. 2E students must be resilient and persevere to be seen for their gifts.

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  13. Twice exceptional students require learning accommodations in two areas. They have been identified as gifted, but also could have another condition or disability that requires attention and a plan to meet that students needs. In most cases 2e students' giftedness can be hidden by their other exceptionality. However, some students are able to use their giftedness to cover their exceptionality. In any case, teachers often overlook the abilities of the students. Therefore it is important for all educators to truly understand gifted traits and characteristics to meet the needs of 2e students.

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  14. Twice exceptional students are those students that have a learning need intellectually and or creatively as well as a physical or learning issue that needs to be addressed. Usually one or the other of these needs is not addressed due to it being overlooked by the one that is most apparent.

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  15. Twice exceptional students can be gifted but also have a learning disability. I currently serve a gifted student that also has a learning disability in math. It is very important that Inteach to his strengths during the time in our gifted classes. His learning disability is addressed in the regular classroom. With a special education teacher collaborating with the regular education teacher.

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  16. Twice exceptional students are those who are gifted but also have some type of learning disability. I have gifted students who are extremely smart in math but then are in a RTI group for reading and vice verse. This is where I have to differentiate while in my gifted class. I try to give these students something I know that is their strength.

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  17. A twice exceptional student is one who is gifted, but also struggles with some type of disability. They have an incredible strength in one area but struggle immensely in others. It may be difficult to identify children like this because either their disability or giftedness out shines the other.

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  18. Twice-exceptional students are those who have qualified for both special education and gifted education. They must be serviced within both populations, which means they should have an Individual Education Plan and a Gifted Education Plan to meet their needs. Twice-exceptional students might have a disability which masks or makes it difficult to easily see their giftedness, or have additional/other physical, mental, or emotional difficulties.

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  19. Twice-exceptional students are those who are both gifted and talented as well as requiring some level of special education for a disability. The issue surrounding this group of exceptional students is that their giftedness can often mask their disability or the disability may mask the gifted and talented behaviors. Many times, these students "fly under the radar" being neither identified as gifted and talented nor in need of special education services for a disability of some kind; this makes for a very tough situation for these students because they could potentially qualify for two types of programs that would enhance their learning and, instead, are left floundering because they are bored in their areas of giftedness and struggling in their areas that they are less than proficient because of their disability.

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  20. my experience with twice exceptional students has - overall - not been positive in terms of the teachers of their students. I have run into teachers who think that because a child can not complete an assignment or who is a disruptive student makes them ineligible for gifted services. However that has proved to be the exact opposite. I have two students ho stand out in my pull out program who are twice exceptional. One is a math whiz - who has horrible handwriting and who is easily - very easily - distracted. He is probably the one of the two who absolutely needs the pull out program. While his handwriting isn't perfect, he works hard to make it decent. Yet in the classroom - he does not care to make it even legible and is often asked to repeat assignments, In addition, he is one of my leaders who encourages his peers to listen to me during the short whole class lessons. And, he thrives on creation and independence. I believe that his having the opportunity to learn about something that is important to him - rather than his teachers making all of the decisions about him I have the privilege of not having his behavior problem with him - He is actually often considered a role model in our class. However, in his general ed class, he often gets in "trouble" for talking or being off task. But when given a challenge that equates to his intellectual level, he succeeds. He has a special place in my heart because I know he's simply not able to contain his boredom or his excitement.

    My second twice exceptional student is hearing impaired. What I have learned from his time in my class is that his impairment rarely rears it's head. He has hearing aids and is never without them. In my room, I no microphone to enhance my voice. His teachers do. What I have discovered about him is that he has mastered the art of learned helplessness.. I have only had him in class for about three weeks. The first week - he needed help with everything we did. Next class, he did much better. Last time, he was much more independent.. I think that as we progress in class and assignments, he will realize that his hearing impairment does not lend itself to excuses - something he does use in his gen ed classes. I do not at ALL fault the gen ed teachers of the twice exceptional kids. But I do think that the GT classes offer them a different atmosphere where the "regular" rules and behaviors simply don't apply. I do not al all imply that regular ed teachers and classes do not serve these children. However, hat I realize is that the pullout TAG program allows them to experience and incorporate who they are into their work and projects within their assignments. I think the GT program offers them a chance to learn about, accept, and embrace their diversities..

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  21. Prior to taking graduate level classes, I did not know anything about twice-exceptionality. I just did not even think about gifted students having disabilities. Then I thought back to a placement during my second semester in my undergraduate education program. One of the brightest students in my class was also autistic. He needed emotional and social support, yet academically he was reading a few grade levels above his peers. I also have a student who is gifted yet has learning difficulties in math. He hasn’t been tested, but I believe that he may be dyslexic. I have to make accommodations daily and pull him to give extra support in math. I’ve learned that each student is unique and deserves differentiated instruction to meet his or her needs.

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  22. Katherine Kiser

    My view on 2e students has been shaped by my knowledgeable colleagues and my 2e students in our gifted and talented program. When I was first learning abut gifted education, the thought that students could be gifted and in special education was hard to wrap my brain around and I could not make sense of it. I have gradually had more 2e students placed in the GT program because I now see both sides of the coin and I truly value the gifts that these students possess. They work hard to overcome areas that are harder for them and the other areas come naturally to them. I know that it must feel wildly confusing to be in their brain sometimes. Some students have expressed their frustration over not being bale to have ALL of it come naturally to them. How could their brain be so helpful at certain things, yet slow them down in other areas?

    2e students seem to be much more patient and accepting of students who struggle in classes. They know what it is like to be on the other end and they truly identify with that. They like to be pushed forward in other subjects that they excel in and make friends somewhat more easily because they can identify with a larger population of students in their harder classes.

    I have seen teachers who do not understand the concept of 2e or do not believe that it is possible to be both. These teachers think that if you are gifted and are pulled out for services, that you should be strong in all areas. I can identify with these teachers because I was once in their shoes. This shows me that we need to do a better job on educating teachers in gifted education, especially in 2e education.

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  23. I have actually had a fair amount of experience with students who are labeled as twice exceptional. I taught 2 students during my time in the gen ed classroom who were twice exceptional. One was a young man who was gifted and had been diagnosed with ODD (oppositional defiant disorder). I taught him 9 years ago and to this day remains one of my "favorite students". I also taught a young lady who was gifted and ADHD. As a gifted teacher, I have had 3 twice exceptional students. 2 of those students were males who were gifted and also diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. The other was a female student who had a learning disability in Reading. She was an outstanding Math student however. Each of these students presented their own set of unique challenges due to their exceptionalities, but they were also a lot of fun to teach! I enjoyed celebrating their successes and victories.

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  24. Twice Exceptional students qualify for gifted education services as well as special education services. These students can be very difficult to identify as both as sometimes one exceptionality can mask another. What I find most interesting about this population of students is the possibility that their giftedness and disability could both go undetected as they sort of “balance” each other out. These students have specific sets of challenges and can sometimes find themselves feeling very isolated. This isolation can be avoided if special measures are taken to ensure that students are identified and receiving all of the services that they deserve.

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  25. Last semester was the first time I heard the term - twice exceptional. It refers to students that are gifted/talented and also have a disability. I have one student in my class that is autistic. A brilliant young man, but lacks social skills and shows evidence of autism when he gets excited. I love that my students accept him. I have another student that is dyslexic. This year I had a student to transfer to our school. He was identified as gifted through second-grade child find at one school, and we are the fourth school he has attended in two years. Last quarter he was placed in an intervention pull-out program for math. Several teachers, including one administrator, questioned him being gifted. They said, "I thought he was supposed to be gifted. Why is he having trouble?" I used that time to educated them about twice-exceptional children.

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  26. I had never heard of twice exceptional students before this semester, my first in the program. I believe that twice exceptional students qualify for both gifted services as well as special education services. It was hard for me to understand that a student can have a gift, but also be faced with a disability. One of my third graders can be quite a handful. He is autistic, yet highly gifted. He’s often a behavior problem – not just in my classroom, but everywhere he goes, and this sometimes overshadows his giftedness. Fortunately, our G&T teacher works well with all of his teachers, including the special ed teacher, to help keep him on track and advocate for him. If it’s hard for me to understand, I’m sure it’s hard for the twice exceptional students, teachers, and classmates to sometimes understand. That being said, it would be highly beneficial, in my opinion, to better discuss this with teachers.

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  27. Twice-exceptional students are both gifted and special ed. They will have both an IEP and a GEP. Typically, it means they think outside of the box and view the world through a gifted lens – solving problems creatively, but also struggling within a scholastic setting (ADHD, dyslexia, reading deficiencies, etc.). Unfortunately, how most gifted classes are run, a gifted class just moves faster and deeper leaving these students feeling less gifted and more “special”

    -Anna Miller

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  28. One thing that I know about Twice Exceptional is that it is difficult for teachers and parents to understand. Teachers do not understand how a child can be labeled as gifted yet be failing in one or more subjects. I know that often specific learning disabilities do not show up in students until 5ht grade or higher. Often because the student is able to use his giftedness to mask the disability.

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  29. Since I have only been in this field for a very short time, I will admit that I do not know a great deal about the term twice-exceptional students. I can read between the lines and assume that this means that a student can be identified as gifted while also having some type of disability. This seems difficult to me, and I can only imagine the perspective of those in the general education classroom. I think that these students need to have support where needed and acknowledgement in the areas of their successes.

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  30. As a teacher of the Gifted, I have very little experience with 2E children. However, based upon readings and observations of other students, I have come to the conclusion that identifying 2E children can be challenging. Most teachers focus only on one of the exceptionalities, excluding the other one. But identifying 2E children can occur as late as middle school. Teachers focus only on one area that is the most pressing, which most of the time is the area other than gifted. Students can be exceptional in social behavior, emotions, intelligence/academic, etc. 2E students are typically overlooked because their exceptionalities may not be completely known. I feel that 2E students do not have the support or instruction needed to achieve success in the specific areas of their exceptionality. There is too much of an emphasis placed on one area and the other is neglected because there simply may not be enough time or enough help. We should not be focused on just one area, but strive for all students to achieve success in all their exceptionalities.

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  31. Before this year, I had never considered 2E children very much.I have known many students who were both ADD and gifted, for example. I just had not considered the specific needs that might be present regarding both exceptionalities. I was in the regular classroom teaching fifth grade for the first semester of this year, and I had an "A-Ha!" moment concerning a twice exceptional kid. She was discovered through 2nd Grade Child Find as gifted, but she began to exhibit ODD characteristics in 4th grade, specifically centered around right before/during/right after math time. 5th grade was no exception to this, and I began to see the same pattern. To make a long story short, she was found to have a learning disability regarding processing mathematics skills. I do think that this particular child's giftedness masked the disability for some time, and once it could no longer happen in this manner, she could not handle the pressure of not understanding the material. The interesting thing is that several teachers have asked me since then how this child could be labeled "gifted" and have a learning disability. I think regular classroom teachers, including myself, are not trained nearly enough in the needs of exceptional students. Therefore, we are not really sure how to best help 2E students.

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  32. 2E students are those who are gifted and who have a disability. The disability can be cognitive or physical or sensory. These students often are overlooked when being considered for gifted identifiation because their disability may mask their giftedness or their giftedness may mask their disability.

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  33. Twice exceptional students are students who are gifted but also have a learning disability. For example, they may be gifted in math, but they may have a learning disability in reading. A lot of times, these students can go unnoticed as gifted students because many teachers do not realize that a student who has a learning disability. These students have very diverse needs that have to be met in order to receive the education that they deserve.

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  34. What I know about twice exceptional students is that they certainly do exist. In fact, I believe that it may be more prevalent than believed. I believe that exploring this possibility and acting on finding ways to assist the disability and encourage the gifted ability as soon as possible is the best solution. Many of these students with a disability will show some gifted characteristics BECAUSE of their disability as well. For example an ADHD child who is an exceptional artist because that is the ONLY thing he can focus on...Getting the identity and help for these disabilities early is the surest way to give these students success..

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  35. Kiyomi Moore SPE 584 Spring 2016February 29, 2016 at 10:13 AM

    I recently learned that twice-exceptional learners are those who are gifted and also have various additional exceptionalities, including autism, ADD/ADHD, emotional disorders, and learning disabilities. These children are frequently overlooked for gifted services. Often, the child’s learning deficit is addressed to the exclusion of other considerations, including areas of high ability. In some cases, test scores are depressed by the learning deficit so that the child doesn’t qualify under current criteria for gifted programs. These students often are overlooked when being considered for gifted identification because their disability may mask their giftedness or their giftedness may mask their disability. We have identified that a lot of students are lost in this system because of this very fact.

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  36. Twice exceptional children have a double whammy surviving the cookie cutter learning environment. Usually they have a learning disability that prevents them from processing information similarly to their peers. I have 4 students with dual exceptionality. They either struggle to read and comprehend or math is a foreign language. Two of them also struggle to compose sentences that reflect required content. The other end of the spectrum is they also have a gift which showcases something amazing that peers do not demonstrate. I try not to stereotype, but expressive artistic students seem to struggle with general curriculum especially 5th graders. They seem to process information a different way than peers. I've noticed children that score high on the Torrance, seem to struggle with memorization and fast recall. Classroom teachers also express frustration with 2e learners.

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  37. I thought that twice exceptional students were both qualified for gifted and special education services. It could be ADD/ADHD, Austim, Aspergers, occupational therapy, etc. I have had numerous students that have been on my caseload with an IEP and GEP. ADHD and ADD are the most common, which is controversial with gifted students. Also, behavioral IEP's seem to be very common with gifted students.

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  38. Twice exceptional students have different learning and life needs that need to be met. Not only do they need learning supports in their areas of weakness, they must overcome that weakness in functionality to show their giftedness. Educators and gifted teachers need to be able to recognize the accomplishments where these students have overcome obstacles in life and learning.

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  39. The concept of a twice exceptional gifted student was not one I was familiar with before I began my course work. At this point, I know that sometimes students are gifted but can also have a learning challenge or a social challenge that makes learning difficult. This can be frustrating for the student, because he or she may feel the need to be exceptional in all areas. Identification of these students is also challenging, because their giftedness may hide their learning disability or their learning disability may hide their giftedness. Many times teacher do not know that a student who has a learning challenge can be gifted. Some twice exceptional students may be classified as gifted and also be on the autism spectrum, have dyslexia, or have the additional challenge of ADD/ADHD.

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  40. Students may be “twice exceptional” signifying that while they may be superior in one area, they are classified as learning disabled in others. These students feel like they are a separated into two worlds, one as a learner with a disability and the other as a student with exceptional capabilities. If they are recognized as gifted initially, then they may be made out to be lazy in other subjects. However, if they are branded as learning disabled initially then they may not be challenged in their area of giftedness or even identified as gifted. Due to the student’s constant battle amid academic gifts and struggles, several children who are gifted and learning disabled can develop low self-concepts after beginning school. A student’s fight to handle frustration often leaves them feeling insufficient, disappointed, dissatisfied and irritated, all of which harm their self-concept. These children must be persuaded to recognize their own gifts and boundaries so that they can plan for their future. Teachers must reinforce these students’ academic capabilities and cultivate their strengths while also providing for the social and emotional problems that twice-exceptional students experience in and outside of the classroom.

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  41. I believe that twice exceptional means that the student has area(s) of giftedness, partnered with areas of deficit. One can mask the other or vice versa. These students are often left unidentified due to the lack of familiarity with this particular situation, combined with the fact that sometimes gifts are overshadowed by deficits.

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  42. I remember briefly studying twice exceptional students in one of my undergraduate courses. We learned that they are students who have both a disability and giftedness. One example given was someone who had an intellectual disability but was a talented piano player. The term 'savant' was also used; I'm not sure exactly what the relationship is between twice exceptional and savant. I believe the movie Rainman was referenced, also. I don't recall learning any specific strategies for teaching this population. Also, I'm not sure that I've ever encountered a student who is twice-exceptional (to the best of my knowledge). I have always thought of it as a rarity, not a common occurrence.

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  43. I know that being twice-exceptional means that you are considered gifted and that you also have some type of disability. I have experienced working with students like this before and I know how much of a challenge being identified as both of theses things can be.

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  44. Twice-exceptional is a term used to designate students who are are determined to be gifted, but also have a disability. Many of our students in special education are designated as exceptional due to a specific gift or disability, but sometimes students can have both. I have had the opportunity to work with a few students who are twice exceptional and they present opportunities to synthesize methods from various paradigms in order to meet that child's learning goals.

    A few summers ago, I was able to tutor an eleventh grader who could memorize the names, eras, attributes, habitats, and diets of an amazing number of dinosaurs, but when it came to writing a 5 paragraph essay, he had a hard time getting started. I set up my iPad and recorded his responses to some of my questions and we used his recorded responses to flesh out his paper. We easily met the content requirements and after that, it was just a matter of cleaning up the structure and grammar of the essay.

    Twice exceptional students are a remarkably diverse bunch. This is an important concept because it acknowledges that gifted students come from all backgrounds.

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  45. Twice-Exceptional students, or 2e students, are gifted and have another exceptionality. For example, a student might be gifted and autistic or gifted and dyslexic. I know that these students are less likely to be referred for gifted education classes because their other exceptionality shines brighter than their giftedness. These students also might have difficulties during the identification process because of their exceptionality. For example, a student may not be able to produce work samples that can be used as part of the multiple criteria and that might keep the student from being identified. I have personally taught a student in the 3rd grade who was gifted and autistic. The student was extremely gifted in math; however, some of his autistic tendencies would get in the way of completing work in the gifted classroom. In my six years of teaching, that student is the only one who I have taught that was identified gifted and 2e.

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  46. Twice-exceptional students amaze me. The misconceptions about them from fellow educators man's me. Commonly, I hear from classroom teachers that "Johnny" cannot be gifted because he has a learning disability...or is autistic... or has emotional outbursts...and the list goes on and on. In my middle school gifted classroom, I have students with learning disabilities, orthopedic impairments, and autism. I have one student in a wheelchair who I feed snack and lunch because she cannot feed herself. I had a principal once to ask me why she came to gifeed since she's in a wheelchair. Yes, really. I do not yet know enough about 2e students, but at least I realize they can be gifted and have other issues also.

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  47. Twice-exceptional students amaze me. The misconceptions about them from fellow educators man's me. Commonly, I hear from classroom teachers that "Johnny" cannot be gifted because he has a learning disability...or is autistic... or has emotional outbursts...and the list goes on and on. In my middle school gifted classroom, I have students with learning disabilities, orthopedic impairments, and autism. I have one student in a wheelchair who I feed snack and lunch because she cannot feed herself. I had a principal once to ask me why she came to gifeed since she's in a wheelchair. Yes, really. I do not yet know enough about 2e students, but at least I realize they can be gifted and have other issues also.

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  48. A twice-exceptional (2e) student is one that has not only gifted characteristics, but also has another disability (physical, social, or intellectual) which often times masks the child’s giftedness. Some students are ADD or ADHD and are gifted as well. These students may encounter difficulties in the classroom due to their hyperactivity and inability to focus and complete work. Another example of a 2e student is one who has a physical handicap and is gifted. Two other examples would be a student who is autistic or the student who performs with a low ability in one or more academic areas. I believe 2e students underachieve in various areas because each situation is unique.

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  49. Before taking my graduate courses last semester I knew absolutely nothing about 2E students. Now I have a very basic knowledge about what it means to be a 2E student. Twice exceptional means a student who is both gifted and has some sort of disability. The disability could be physical or mental. It is very hard to diagnose because often times the gifts mask the disability making the child seem average or even slightly low performing. Educators can pass over these children for gifted programs because the children seem to be normal to low average performing students. When in actuality they are gifted and disabled.
    2E students have very special needs. For example they might not be able to read due to a severe learning disability in reading but they might have an extremely high IQ. This means they need highly stimulating material but they can't read it. What's to be done?
    Lydia Hinshaw

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  50. I think of twice exceptional students as those that have giftedness and/or talent along with a disability of some type. It seems to me that one of the exceptions usually overshadows the other and gets more attention. The disability is probably given more weight than the giftedness and could prevent students from being adequately identified.

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  51. Twice exceptional students are those that are not only gifted but may also have a disability of some kind (physical, emotional, mental, etc). I have two students in my 3rd grade group that are twice-exceptional; one struggles with ADHD and ODD, while the other has autism but is extremely high-functioning. They are both incredibly intelligent and do really well inside my classroom, but they both struggle with behavior (possibly boredom) inside their general classroom. Unfortunately, their teacher can't see beyond their terrible behavior to truly appreciate their great personalities.

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  52. Twice exceptional students are those students that have exceptionalities in two or more areas. Typically these students meet the threshold to enter a gifted and talented program, but also test for another form of special education such as learning disability in reading or math, or have a physical handicap. I have had two students in my general ed classroom that were 2E students: both were gifted students, one was SLD in reading and the other one was SLD in math. I have never had a gifted student with a physical impairment in my classroom. Many general education teachers have little patience with 2E students because they feel that if the child is struggling to pass core subjects than they should not be pulled out for gifted services. Educating these teachers on the needs and characteristics of gifted students may help to change this mindset.

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  53. I only know what I have heard in class. I know these students exist and are often overlooked. I know that all gifted students are not gifted in all areas. It was interesting to find out students can still be gifted and also exceptional in other areas. When I think about it, it makes sense. I can relate in some ways. In my school days I was known as the smart girl. When I was in high school math and chemistry were tough. My friends still expected me to have the answers and my parents were not accepting of the low grades (being C's) I received in the class. I felt as if something was wrong with me because I knew I was smart, but I didn't know why I just couldn't get that math. I imagine the twice exceptional feeling a similar way. I am happy to see educators are paying closer attention to these students so they can grow their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses.

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  54. Twice Exceptional students are students who have been identified as gifted and have an exceptionalism on the opposite end of Special Education as well. For instance, some gifted children have autism. This would be considered twice exceptional. From my experience in the gifted classroom this school year, children with two exceptional areas (such as autism and giftedness) tend to be exceptionally above-average in one or two specific areas. They may not score high or above average in all areas, but they have one or two areas where they may be the top scoring student in the class for that specific areas or subject.

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  55. 2E students are twice exceptional, meaning they have been identified as gifted and also identified as something else under the special education umbrella as well. This could be autistic, ADHD, mental disability, physical disability, emotional disability- something that might require accommodations on an IEP. I actually learned about 2E students during observation hours for my special education class during undergrad. I happen to be observing for Traci Ingleright at Gwin and she had a student that had Asperger's and was also gifted. I wrote my paper on him and really learned a lot through Traci's help. He really was an exceptional student. It really is interesting how many educators do not know about 2E students. Just recently I had a colleague talking about one of her students that she couldn't believe tested gifted and I told her that he was probably twice exceptional. We really need to do a better job (as gifted teachers) to guide and inform our general education teachers.

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  56. Identifying 2e’s can be a challenge since sometimes their gifted behaviors mask their disabilities or their disabilities mask their giftedness. It is not unusual for them to perform at an academic level well below their ability. Since their strengths may lie in creative or artistic abilities or they may poses high abstract reasoning abilities or have a strong memory traditional school settings may not challenge them in a way that motivates them, causing them to be overlooked or frustrating to regular classroom teachers. This makes locating them and keeping them supported in their regular classrooms a challenge. A developmental history can be helpful and these students should be tested with non-verbal tests.
    Twice exceptional students frequently thrive in classrooms that offer differentiation of content, process, and product as well as real-world authentic learning projects.

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  57. I do not know a lot about twice exceptional students. What I do know is they can be gifted and have a disability. From watching Dr. Besnoy's video, their giftedness or disability can sometimes mask each other. I have had a student in the past who was autistic and gifted. I kept in communication weekly with his collaborative teacher to have a better understanding of his autistic traits.

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  58. Up until this school year I have never had a twice exceptional student. This year I have a twice exceptional student in my classroom who is extremely creative and talented. She is also identified as a special education student. Twice exceptional students are those students that qualify for gifted services along with qualifying for special education services.

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  59. I have several twice-exceptional students. I have a student who is gifted with Autism, I have a student who is Gifted with ED, I have a few students who are gifted and have Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). Like Sally said, Giftedness can mask the other exceptionality, or vice-versa, the other exceptionality can mask the giftedness. I think twice-exceptional students especially challenge us as teachers to really know our students individually and what their individual needs are, ensuring that we have differentiated instruction to meet all of our students needs.

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  60. Twice exceptional students are students that are gifted in certain areas but have a disability in other areas. They are often times hard to identify because their giftedness is overlooked due to their disabilities. Many twice exceptional students are in need of social skill training.

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  61. Twice exceptional students are the gifted students who may be overlooked. They are our students with hearing impairment, dyslexia, and learning difficulties. They are the students who we, as general education teachers, may overlook. They are those that may challenge us in a way that is seen as disrespectful or demanding. They have more to offer than we are willing to see. This course has opened my eyes and has helped me see that all my students are gifted in his/her own way. Getting to know our students individually is the only way to see their full potential.

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  62. I know that twice exceptional are students that are gifted and also have a disability. These disabilities would be in another area or could include someone with ADHD, autism... I think these students are harder to identify and are often overlooked because a teacher could tend to focus on the disability. These students could receive services in both the gifted and special ed. classroom.

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  63. Twice exceptional students may be categorized as gifted but also have subtle learning disabilities. Their abilities and disabilities mask each other and are thus unidentified. These students often perform at or slightly below their grade level. Students identified as both gifted and having learning disabilities stand out in a classroom because they are obviously bright but frustrated with school activities and thus tend to act out.

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  64. I never heard of twice exceptional students until this year and I have several students with autism that are gifted as well in my classroom. All of my students that are 2E were not overlooked, but I could see how some of 2E students are overlooked. My principal informed me that it wasn't until this year, that their grades have dropped tremendously and they are struggling due to the pressures of organization, switching classes, etc. If a teacher was just looking at classroom grades, turning in homework, etc. those children would be overlooked a lot.

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  65. Twice exceptional students are gifted in one or more areas and also have one or more disabilities that interfere with the ability to learn. These could include social/behavioral difficulties; pervasive developmental disorders such as Asperger's or ASD; learning disorders (those with neurological bases that impede processing); mental disorders such as anxiety; or other disabilities such as ADHD. Often these are comorbid and most require special intervention. These students are in the unfortunate position of having one exceptionality "mask" the other, meaning one or both areas of need could potentially go unrecognized and remain unaddressed by special education.

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  66. The term 'twice-exceptional' is very new to me. I had never heard this term before taking this class. Now I know that a twice exceptional student is one that is gifted and has a disability that impacts their abilities. They are known to have a high frustration level.

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  67. Twice-exceptional students are highly gifted individuals with learning disabilities or differences—challenges. They tend to think outside the box and have difficulty focusing. They also lack basic social skills.

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