In the new Texas State Plan for gifted teachers are called to "...modify the core content to meet the needs of gifted/talented students...with special needs such as twice-exceptional..." But, some of these students are slipping through the cracks. Take a look at how some districts and teachers are handling this issue in the following article by Laura Lee:
By Laura Lee
September 12, 2019
Source: Edutopia
Students who are identified as exceptionally bright but also have disabilities need specialized attention, reporter Rachel Blustain explains in The Hechinger Report. While some may see these twice exceptional students as a rarity, students who are gifted now make up six percent of the population of students with disabilities - so schools across the country are grappling with how to address their needs.
These twice exceptional, or 2e, students "posses high academic aptitude but struggle with ADHD, mild autism, dyslexia or other learning and behavioral challenges," writes Blustain, and are often under served, in a large part because it is a challenge to identify them. Disabilities are determined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act which requires assistance for students with conditions that "adversely affect educational performance." Some 2e students, though, may slip through the system unnoticed because their outstanding performance in some subjects masks other issues. Students may have high math abilities, for example, but lack competence in social and emotional skills, or they may excel in verbal proficiency but struggle with executive function.
In her book, Differently Wired, parent Debbie Reber writes that because children who are neurodivers like her son, "can often 'pass' as 'typical kids,' it's not always easy for teachers, other parents, and sometimes even our own families to recognize or respect the challenges" they face.
The characteristics of a twice-exceptional child may not be readily apparent to educators unless they look beyond traditional assessment techniques. "Teachers need to be able to recognize when students aren't reaching their potential even though they may be passing their classes," said Debbie Carroll, co-chair of the subcommittee on Twice Exceptional Advocacy of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. "They need to understand that smart kids with behavioral problems may not be just willful or lazy, but may in fact need support."
See how other states and districts are addressing this issue here.
Work Cited:
Lee, Laura. (2019, September 12). Meeting the Challenge of Twice Exceptional Students. Retrieved October 28, 2019, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/meeting-challenge-twice-exceptional-students
