Gifted and Talented - Twice-Exceptional (2e) testing at Austin Psychological Assessment Center

Your Questions Answered about Gifted / Twice-Exceptional (2e) Students

How can a child be both gifted and have a learning disability? Any child can have a learning disability. However, what makes twice-exceptional students unique is that they are extremely talented in some academic areas, music, or art, but also have an area of weakness that needs remediation. All children have strengths and weaknesses. For twice-exceptional children, their strengths are incredibly advanced, which is why it may be confusing to parents and teachers when they present with a weakness in a specific academic area. Further complicating this is the fact that these students may be able to “hide” deficits in one skill area (e.g., reading) by using exceptional reasoning abilities and/or other skills. Thus, a typical pattern of difficulties may not be apparent until the child is older. What sort of programs work well for children who are twice-exceptional? In order for twice-exceptional children to more fully take advantage of their capabilities, it is important that their giftedness be recognized and fostered at the same time that their disability is accommodated and remediated appropriately. Programs that work well for twice-exceptional children are those that give the child an opportunity to work on challenging activities at an advanced level while still providing remedial instruction in the area of the child’s disability. Each child is different, but with information about a child’s range of strengths and weaknesses, an individualized plan can be developed to best suit the needs of the child. What are the social/emotional aspects of being twice-exceptional? Many children with a learning disability feel somewhat frustrated because they struggle so much in their area of disability. Gifted children are no different and may even feel this more acutely because of the significant disparity between their giftedness in some (or many areas) and their area of disability. Often it is difficult for twice-exceptional students to understand why they are having trouble in the area of their disability. This may lead the child to think that they are not working hard enough, that they are “dumb,” and that they are disappointing their loved ones. It is important to educate children about their area of disability so that they understand that their difficulties are not due to a lack of effort or intelligence but rather a need for them to be taught in a different and unique way to remediate a particular area of weakness. My daughter has been diagnosed with dyslexia and is failing all of her classes, but we had her tested and her IQ is 125. What can we do? Many things can be done to help your child. Since your child has a learning disability (dyslexia) and an educational need (failing classes), she might be eligible for services through Dyslexia Services (technically part of the 504 Program), the 504 Program, or special education. It is critical that you consult with knowledgeable school staff (e.g., school psychologist, special education staff, the counselor) to explore the possibility that your child is eligible for services and accommodations due to dyslexia. She should continue to be challenged in her areas of giftedness while the appropriate program and accommodations have been selected and implemented to remediate the dyslexia. Once her dyslexia is addressed with appropriate accommodations (and much of the associated frustration is reduced), it is likely that she will again be able to demonstrate educational progress that is more commensurate with her abilities. My 3rd grader is in the gifted program at his school. He excels at almost every subject, but struggles with math. Could something be wrong or is he just not motivated? Many children who are gifted but also have a learning disability appear as if they are not motivated or are not trying in their area of difficulty. In fact, they may be trying extremely hard, but because other subjects come so easily to them, teachers and parents may assume that their learning disability is actually laziness. Only a qualified professional, such as a Licensed Psychologist, will be able to conduct an assessment to determine if your child has a learning disability, is not being appropriately challenged, or simply needs new strategies to help him become more motivated. My child is extremely bright and is bored with the grade-level material. Would it be in her best interest to skip a grade? Research has shown that skipping grades can be appropriate for some children. A practice that may also be considered is advancing a child with a gift/talent in a particular area (such as math) to a more appropriate level class. This can allow the bright child a more challenging and stimulating learning environment in particular subject areas, while also providing the opportunity for some social interactions with same-age peers. Every child is different and most gifted children have a range of strengths along with areas of more typically developing skills. Addressing the individual child’s needs and particular profile can help to ensure that the most beneficial educational plan is implemented.
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Austin Psychological Assessment Center, Austin Texas Gifted and Talented - Twice-Exceptional (2e)
6012 W. William Cannon Dr., B-103, Austin, Texas 78749	Updated: April 23, 2008