The Multi- Faceted, Twice Exceptional Child Presented by Rebecca Lopez M.A., Ed.S. SPED Coordinator – Twice Exceptional Cherry Creek School District

A Note on Communication from My Heart to Yours… I speak because I know my needs, but I speak with hesitation because I know not yours. My words come from my life’s experiences. Your understanding comes from yours. Because of this, what I say, and what you hear, may not be the same. So if you will listen carefully, not only with your ears but with your eyes and with our hearts together…maybe, somehow, we can communicate.

Professional Credentials  12 years in Education  Regional Director of Marketing, Pepsi - 6 years prior to teaching  Bachelor of Arts in English Literature & Education from Eastern Washington University  Masters of Arts in Special Education with emphasis in GT/2X and At Risk Populations from the University of New Mexico  Educational Doctoral Specialist in Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado  Credentialed in Secondary Language Arts/Literature, K-12 Special Education, K-12 Gifted Education, and K-12 Principal’s License

Colorado’s Definition of Twice- Exceptional  Twice-exceptional students are:  Students who are identified as gifted and talented in one or more areas of exceptionality recognized by CDE:  Specific Academics, General Intellectual Ability, Creativity, Leadership, Visual or Performing Arts

Colorado’s Definition of Twice- Exceptional (cont.)  AND also identified with a disability defined by Federal/State eligibility criteria in one or more of the following areas:  Specific Learning Disability, Significant Emotional Disability, Autism, Visual impairment, including blindness, Deafness, Deaf-Blindness, Hearing Impairment, or Speech & Language Disability, Intellectual Disability, Orthopedic impairment, Traumatic brain injury, Other health impairment, or Multiple disabilities

Characteristics of Twice- Exceptional Children  It is important to note that the content of characteristic lists should be viewed as typical of many children who are gifted and who also have a disability rather than characteristics which ALL such children possess. Twice-exceptional children do not form a simple, homogeneous group. Rather, they are a highly diverse group of learners.  The profiles of 2E students are atypical of both a gifted student and a student with disabilities. Slide adapted from Twice-Exceptional Child Project (Nielsen, Elizabeth 1994.)

Twice-Exceptional Students Strengths  Superior Vocabulary  Highly Creative  Resourceful  Curious  Imaginative  Questioning  Strong Problem-Solving Skills  Sophisticated Sense of Humor  Wide range of Interests  Advanced Ideas & Opinions  Special Talent or Consuming Interest Challenges  Easily Frustrated  Stubborn  Manipulative  Opinionated  Argumentative  Written Expression  Highly Sensitive to Criticism  Inconsistent Academic Performance  Lack of organization and Study Skills  Difficulty with Social Interactions Slide adapted from Twice-Exceptional Child Project (Nielsen, Elizabeth 1994.)

Cognitive Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Discrepancy among standardized test scores  Superior verbal & communication skills  Visual learner with strong perceptual reasoning skills  High level of reasoning and problem-solving abilities  Conceptual thinker who comprehends “big picture”  Unable to think in a linear fashion  Auditory processing deficits & difficulty following verbal instructions Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Cognitive Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Slow processing speed and/or problems with fluency and automaticity  Executive functioning deficits in planning, prioritizing, and organizing  Highly creative, curious, and imaginative  High energy level  Distractible, unable to sustain attention, or problems with short-term memory  Sensory integration issues Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Academic Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Demonstrates inconsistent or uneven academic skills  Advanced ideas and opinions  Wide range of interests  Advanced vocabulary  Penetrating insights  Specific talent or consuming interest  Hates drill and practice assignments Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Academic Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Difficulty expressing feelings or explaining ideas or concepts  Work can be extremely messy  Poor penmanship and problems completing paper-and-pencil tasks  Avoids school tasks and/or frequently fails to complete assignments  Appears apathetic, is unmotivated, and lacks academic initiative Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Interpersonal Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Difficulty relating to peers, poor social skills, and/or antisocial behavior  Capable of setting up situations to own disadvantage  Isolated from peers and do not participate in school activities  Target of peer bullying  Cannot read social clues  Lack self-advocacy skills  Disruptive or clowning behavior Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Intrapersonal Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners  Highly sensitive to criticism  Perfectionist who is afraid to risk making mistakes  Denies problems and/or blames others for mistakes and problems  Believes success is due to ability or “luck”  Behaves impulsively  Self-critical, has low self-esteem and self-efficacy  High levels of anxiety and/or depression  Easily frustrated, gives up quickly on tasks Characteristics of twice-exceptional learners. Adapted from Nielsen, 1993.

Dyslexia: The World The Way I See It…

Distinguishing Characteristics of Gifted Students with Disabilities SkillTraditional Gifted Characteristics Twice-Exceptional Characteristics Basic SkillsAbility to learn basic skills quickly and easily and to retain information with less repetition Often struggle to learn basic skills due to cognitive processing difficulties; need to learn compensatory strategies in order to acquire basic skills and information Verbal SkillsHigh verbal abilityHigh verbal ability but might exhibit difficulty in written language and use of language might be inappropriate at times Reading AbilityEarly Reading AbilityOften reading problems due to cognitive processing deficits Observation SkillsKeen powers of observation Strong observation skills but often deficits in memory skills

SkillTraditional Gifted Characteristics Twice-Exceptional Characteristics Problem SolvingStrong critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making skills Excels in solving “real-world” problems; strong critical thinking and decision-making skills; often independently develops compensatory skills PersistenceLong attention span; persistent, intense concentration Frequently has attention deficit challenges, but may concentrate for long periods in areas of interest CuriosityQuestioning attitudeStrong questioning attitude; may appear disrespectful when question information, facts, etc. presented by the teacher/adult. CreativityCreative thoughts, ideas, actions; innovative Unusual imagination; frequently generates original/bizarre ideas; extremely divergent in thought; may appear to daydream when generating ideas

SkillsTraditional Gifted Characteristics Twice-Exceptional Characteristics Risk TakingWilling to take risksOften unwilling to take risks with regard to academics; take non-academic risks often without consideration of consequences HumorUnusual, often highly developed Humor may be used to divert attention from school failure; may use humor to make fun of peers or to avoid trouble MaturityMay mature at different rates than same-aged peers Sometimes appears immature since he/she may use anger, crying, withdrawal, etc. to mask feelings and deal with difficulties IndependenceStrong sense of independence Requires frequent teacher support & feedback in deficit areas; highly independent in other areas; often appears to be extremely stubborn and inflexible EmotionalitySensitive to needs and opinions of others Sensitive regarding disability area(s); highly critical of self and others including teachers; can verbalize concern for others while still demonstrating negative social behaviors

SkillsTraditional Gifted Characteristics Twice-Exceptional Characteristics Social SkillsMay not be accepted by other children and may feel isolated May be perceived as a lone since he/she does not fit typical model for either gifted or a learning disabled student; sometimes has difficulty being accepted by peers due to poor social skills Leadership Abilities Exhibits strong leadership ability Often is a leader among the more non- traditional students; demonstrate strong “street-wise” behavior; the disability may interfere with ability to exercise leadership skills Broad InterestsWide range of interestsInterested in a wide variety of topics; however, his/her disability may restrict the ability to successfully pursue these interests Focused InterestsVery focused interestsOften has very focused areas of interest; may have a passion about a certain topic to the exclusion of others; areas of interest most often are not related to school subjects or topics available in school

Indicators of Low Self-Esteem  One of the most common characteristics of the twice-exceptional child is low self- esteem. They often disguise this low self- esteem through the use of one or more of the following behaviors:  Anger, Self-criticism, Crying, Disruption or Clowning, Denial of problems, Withdrawal, Daydreaming and fantasy, and/or Apathy

Twice Exceptionally Gifted…

Online Resources for Parents  2e Twice Exceptional Newsletter  Website & newsletter provide information and resources on raising twice-exceptional children, educating them, and meeting their social and emotional needs   Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page  Website has information for parents, educators, kids, and teens about all topics pertaining to giftedness including twice-exceptionality.   Gifted Development Center Website  Contains articles and resources on the topic of twice-exceptional children 

Online Resources for Parents  National Association for Gifted Children  NAGC provides resources for teachers, parents, administrators, and policymakers on how to develop and support gifted children. The national organization provides publications, information on advocacy, legislation, and research.   Council for Exceptional Children  CEC is an international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. They provide professional development resources, journals, newsletters, conventions, and conferences. 

Online Resources for Parents  Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students   Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA   Learning Disabilities Online   The National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children   National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented   SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted 