| Parents may suspect that their child is gifted, yet be | | | | - Difficulty with memorization in areas such as math |
| baffled when their smart child has difficulty learning in | | | | facts, phonics, spelling |
| certain areas. Some intellectually gifted students also | | | | - Distractibility, disorganization, poor follow-through |
| have special learning needs such as a learning disability. | | | | - Hypersensitivity to criticism |
| Gifted students may also have other special | | | | - Perfectionism, slow rate of work production |
| educational needs such as auditory processing | | | | - Unreasonable self expectations, negative view of |
| problems, dyslexia, ADHD or emotional problems. | | | | own performance |
| When a highly intelligent child has a learning disability, it | | | | - Often, failure to complete assignments |
| is difficult for parents to make sense of the learning | | | | - Difficulties with sequential tasks |
| and behavior patterns they observe. A "masking" | | | | Appropriate Educational Services for |
| phenomenon often occurs; high intellect is partly hidden | | | | Twice-Exceptional Students |
| by learning problems, and learning difficulties partially | | | | The intellectual abilities of gifted students with disabilities |
| obscure a child's true level of intelligence. This can | | | | must be nurtured. These students must be provided |
| result in two problems: the child's intellectual gifts are | | | | with appropriate challenges. Frequently the pace of |
| not nurtured and developed, and the learning disabilities | | | | education is too slow for these students and they |
| may not be properly remediated. | | | | become disinterested. These students need |
| Because these students are extremely intelligent, they | | | | challenging, stimulating, relevant instruction that |
| can utilize many compensatory strategies in order to | | | | emphasizes problem solving and understanding the "big |
| learn and appear more successful. They use abilities | | | | picture." |
| such as reasoning skills, strong memory, attention to | | | | Society owes each intellectually gifted student an |
| detail, or other gifts to circumvent their disability. It is | | | | education that nourishes their talents, develops strong |
| difficult for teachers and parents to observe the | | | | reasoning abilities, and sparks curiosity. Students who |
| learning problems and, therefore, the child's learning | | | | receive a stimulating education enter the adult world as |
| disabilities frequently are not identified and the child | | | | full, eager, competent participants, able to contribute |
| does not receive help in the area of disability. | | | | their talents to society. |
| It is often difficult for adults to be alert to the signs of | | | | Intelligence is a multifaceted, malleable, and vibrant |
| intellectual giftedness in children who do not learn easily | | | | faculty that can either be encouraged or hindered by |
| and rapidly in all areas. Therefore the child's giftedness | | | | experience. Our society must commit to nurturing the |
| also goes unrecognized and these students do not | | | | capacities of intellectually gifted students with |
| receive the proper encouragement and educational | | | | disabilities. Educators must: |
| support to fully develop their gifts, talents and desire to | | | | - Be alert to the signs of intellectual potential in students |
| achieve academically. | | | | who learn differently or who do not learn rapidly and |
| Gifted individuals with learning disabilities exhibit both | | | | easily |
| strengths and areas of need. Not every child has the | | | | - View non-conventional types of talents such as |
| same pattern of highs and lows. Therefore, adults | | | | artistic, musical, visual-spatial, and social gifts as |
| must be vigilant in determining appropriate educational | | | | indicators of intellectual giftedness |
| interventions. | | | | - Use portfolios, projects, debates, discussions and |
| Some characteristics of twice exceptional students | | | | other methods of instruction and evaluation in order to |
| include the following (keep in mind that each individual | | | | reach a student's gifts |
| will exhibit a unique profile): | | | | - Stress high-level problem-solving, abstract thinking, |
| - Above average abstract reasoning ability | | | | and creativity |
| - Strong mathematical reasoning skills | | | | - Have high expectations for children's futures-not set |
| - Comprehensive knowledge in subjects of interest | | | | limits based on pre-conceived notions |
| - Exceptional attention to detail | | | | - Emphasize self-directed learning, experimentation and |
| - Advanced grasp of the "big picture" | | | | active inquiry |
| - Keen visual memory, spatial skills | | | | - Support strong self concept as the driving force for |
| - Advanced vocabulary | | | | success |
| - Imagination, creativity, insightfulness | | | | Simultaneously, we must identify and remediate |
| - Extraordinary talent in areas such as music, arts, | | | | learning disabilities so that twice exceptional students |
| science, language | | | | can fully participate in academic experiences to the |
| - First-rate problem-solving skills | | | | level of their intelligence. Students must receive the |
| - Wide variety of interests | | | | educational support they require in areas of need such |
| - Sophisticated understanding of satire, humor, | | | | as speech and language services, reading remediation, |
| metaphors, analogies | | | | educational therapy, counseling or tutoring. The |
| - Command of complex relationships | | | | traditional school curriculum and methodology must be |
| - Socially adept, popular | | | | modified to circumvent weak areas of functioning. |