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"These children truly are exceptional. Not only are they gifted, but
they are also coping with learning challenges or disabilities. It is our
responsibility to give these students the extra assistance they need to
become successful." Tom Luna,
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Twice-Exceptional: Students with both Gifts and Challenges or Disabilities
The ADAAA overturns a decade of jurisprudence that has barred the door to
ADA eligibility for many people with disabilities, including epilepsy,
diabetes, intellectual and developmental disabilities, muscular dystrophy,
and cancer, among many others. The reforms in the law will apply to both the
ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act... Read the full
ADAAA (ADAAA requires Adobe Reader)
It has been reported that some schools and
school districts have refused to allow qualified students with disabilities
to participate in [accelerated programs such as AP and IB]. Similarly,
we are informed of schools and school districts that, as a condition of
participation in such programs, have required qualified students with
disabilities to give up the services that have been designed to meet their
individual needs. These practices are inconsistent with Federal law...
[emphasis added]
Recognizing the different levels and kinds of giftedness, Lovecky provides
insight into the challenges and benefits specific to gifted children with
various learning difficulties. Guides parents and professionals through
diagnosis and advises on how best to nurture individual needs, positive
behavior and relationships at home and at school...
or
Amazon.co.uk
Like all other students with disabilities in America’s schools, gifted
students with co-existing disabilities—the Twice-Exceptional (2e)—have the right
to a free, appropriate, public education. However, due to challenges inherent in
accurately evaluating a student’s learning strengths and weaknesses, and special
education identification processes that focus on below grade-level achievement,
many 2e students are going unidentified. NAGC recommends five strategies that
will increase the probability that gifted students with disabilities are
identified and that their advanced abilities and disabilities are simultaneously
addressed and supported... (requires
Adobe Reader)
What is a gifted LD student? Are there many gifted LD students? How and
when are gifted LD students identified? Is it easy to assess LD in a gifted
student? Are special education services necessary for gifted LD students?
Are there any services available other than special education? How does a
learning disability affect a gifted student outside of school? Do gifted LD
students tend to have any special emotional or behavioral issues? What
should a parent do?
A must read!
My son is valedictorian of his high school, but he’s not giving
a valedictorian speech at graduation. As far as we can tell, it's because he acted goofy: he danced around the school
singsonging about being valedictorian (thinking he was being ironic and
self-effacing); he wore a cape at the school's honors trivia bowl; he told
friends he might talk about Batman in his speech. He lost his right to
give a speech. Thinking about this, and thinking about our long, sometimes
confusing journey with this young man, I’m writing my own speech. Grit,
patience, appreciation. Gentleness, perseverance, attention. As
mom, I claim the top GPA in this endeavor of raising a child who is different...
To assist staff, parents, and the students in understanding the
identification process and in accessing appropriate instruction.
Covers identification, framework for success, interventions, and more...
(requires Adobe Reader)
Because Twice Exceptional students have exceptionalities at both ends of
the spectrum, their needs tend to go unmet. Often they are able to
compensate for their disability with their giftedness, and their disability
typically masks their giftedness, leaving them struggling enormously to
perform at average levels, unnoticed by school systems. The Inconvenient
Student, tackles the problem of identifying gifted kids who have dyslexia,
dysgraphia, sensory processing disorder, auditory and visual processing
disorders, ADD, autism or Asperger's, ODD, OCD, anxiety, and depression. Dr.
Postma explains in detail what these children are like and how to
accommodate their needs in the regular classroom so that they can strengthen
their weaknesses and maximize their strengths...
Join Jen on her journey of discovery, acceptance, and understanding, as
she brings humor and wit to the challenges that only the gifted and twice
exceptional can create... read this yourself, or read it aloud to your
parenting partner, but whatever you do, do NOT read this in a quiet waiting
room!
There are a few people in this world who can be described as a "force of
Nature." Ocelot is one of those people. It is
impossible to work with Ocelot for very long and not be changed by the
experience. The purpose of this document is to give adults a crash-course in
understanding Ocelot... Because her abilities show when she speaks,
some people expect Ocelot to do superior work with little assistance, be a
"self-starter" and to learn on her own. In Ocelot's case, this is not
true...
It has been reported that some schools and
school districts have refused to allow qualified students with disabilities
to participate in [accelerated programs such as AP and IB]. Similarly,
we are informed of schools and school districts that, as a condition of
participation in such programs, have required qualified students with
disabilities to give up the services that have been designed to meet their
individual needs. These practices are inconsistent with Federal law...
[emphasis added]
What are the differences between students' protections under Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education
Act (IDEA). You need to know!
ED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
issued guidance to educators and stakeholders on the matter of bullying of
students with disabilities. ...an overview of school districts’
responsibilities to ensure that students with disabilities who are subject
to bullying continue to receive free appropriate public education (FAPE)
under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). States and
school districts are obligated to ensure that students with disabilities
receive FAPE in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This guidance
explains that any bullying of a student with disabilities which results in
the student not receiving meaningful educational benefit is considered a
denial of FAPE. Furthermore, this letter notes that certain changes to an
educational program of a student with a disability (e.g., placement in a
more restricted “protected” setting to avoid bullying behavior) may
constitute a denial of FAPE...
Do you know an intense gifted child? You must read this book!
An easy-to-read volume for parents, teachers, psychologists, everyone
dealing with the gifted child, that explains the inexplicable, and guides us
all in guiding the growth and development of our gifted children...
Physicians, psychologist, and counselors are unaware of characteristics of
gifted children and adults that mimic pathological diagnoses. Six nationally
prominent health care professionals describe ways parents and professionals
can distinguish between gifted behaviors and pathological behaviors...
or
Amazon.co.uk
Misapplied labels can be devastating; properly diagnosed labels can change
a child's life. The Eides can help professionals and parents alike, to
find the proper labels, as well as learning tools, exercises, and therapies
that help children with similar labels. Each chapter covers a unique
learning challenge: Visual Problems, Attention Problems, Autism and
Autism-like Disorders, and more...
For a child to be eligible for services under Part B under the specific
learning disability category, there must be a severe discrepancy between the
child's achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of the following
areas: oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic
reading skill, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, or
mathematics reasoning. No mention is made in the regulations of any
exclusions solely on the basis of intelligence. All children, except those
specifically excluded in the regulations, regardless of I.Q., are eligible
to be considered as having a specific learning disability, if they meet the
eligibility requirements... (Lillie Felton)
A quick review sheet for educators with both symptoms and solutions,
published by the Pennsylvania State Education Association Professional
Learning Exchange... (requires Adobe Reader)
A leading researcher and clinician, Waber offers an alternative to the
prevailing view of learning disability as a problem contained within the
child. Instead, she shows how learning difficulties are best understood as a
function of the developmental interaction between the child and the world.
Integrating findings from education, developmental psychology, and cognitive
neuroscience...
Response to Intervention (RtI) is yet another approach to ensure services
for children who demonstrate special needs in the classroom. Neither NCLB
nor RtI were designed with gifted children in mind. However, NCLB had
sweeping ramifications for how money was spent in schools, and RtI may
govern how gifted children—with and without accompanying disabilities—are
identified and served...
Spotlight on 2e is a series of easy-to-read,
information-rich
booklets on 2e topics, that answer all the tough questions, and provide a terrific
set of resources for additional information. I'm already ordering a set for the teachers and
administrators in our child's new school this fall! Available:
Understanding your Twice-Exceptional Student (for educators)
Parenting Your Twice-Exceptional Child (for parents)
The
Twice-Exceptional Child with Asperger Syndrome
Guiding the Twice-exception Child: A Collection of Columns by
Meredith Warshaw
The 2e Reading Guide: Essential Books for Understanding the
Twice-exceptional Child
Coming soon:
Understanding the Gifted Child with Attention Difficulties
Understanding the Gifted Child with Central Auditory Processing Difficulties
Teachers often view gifted students as outstanding performers and see
these students as top picks for their classes. Yet, not all gifted-students
thrive in school. For gifted students with learning disabilities, school is
not always the most comfortable place. What have we have learned in the last
30 years? Terrific strategies to help gifted / learning disabled
children cope, in academics, testing, and in life!
Definition: Students who are Twice-Exceptional are identified as gifted
and talented and are also identified with one or more disability or
condition. Educational Implications: Identification is troublesome yet
essential. A spread in assessment scores is common and needs to be
interpreted with care; Response-To-Intervention has been identified as an
effective model for intervention; Social/emotional development is a
consistent and critical area of need. Parenting: Parenting students who are
Twice-Exceptional is often frustrating. Collaborative support and
understanding are essential....
Twice-exceptional students also need intentional support that personalizes
a strategic educational plan in each class. This is not coincidental,
accidental, or unintentional support. The IEP/504 fulfills legal obligations
for special education services, but teachers may need a more detailed
intentional approach to helping a 2-e student in a particular content area,
a more focused, delineated, plan, especially if the student is attempting an
Honors or Advanced Placement class...
Meeting the needs of kids with learning and attention issues can be a lot.
Add giftedness into the equation, and parenting takes on a whole additional
dimension. Join Amanda Morin, Penny Williams and Debbie Reber on this
episode about raising twice-exceptional (or “2E”) kids. They talk about
finding the right school program for students who are gifted and struggling.
They also rethink what intelligence really means and what they hope the
future looks like for their 2E young adults...
The question about IEPs and 504 accommodations comes up frequently with
regard to gifted learners. Gifted kids can have other conditions as well, so
just because your child’s gifted doesn’t mean him/her has no educational
issues that may require intervention. IEP vs. 504 accommodations...
This book will teach you how to plan, prepare, organize and get quality
special education services. In this comprehensive, easy-to-read book, you
will learn your child's disability and educational needs, how to create a
simple method for organizing your child s file and devising a master plan
for your child's special education. You will understand parent-school
conflict, how to create paper trails and effective letter writing...
While not explicitly for twice exceptional kids, it is perfect for their
parents and advocates
...found in his son’s diagnosis a new language to understand his own
life... “provided a frame in which a whole bunch of seemingly
unrelated aspects of my own life growing up fit together for the first
time.” Editor's note: this applies to giftedness, too - many of us realize that
we are gifted when our kids are first "diagnosed!"
“My son is gifted!” “My son is learning disabled.” The peculiar
thing about these two statements is that they come from the same parent
speaking about the same child! A proper diagnosis and appropriate
intervention including special education is a start to meeting the mission
of IDEA that all children with disabilities receive services to meet their
unique needs...
Warren and Grant are both gifted students with learning disabilities.
their parents became dissatisfied with their sons' IEPs and obtained IEEs of
them...
(just one of many listed) ...If you're unaware of the Rise Scholarship
Foundation, it's a great place to start. Their website features a ton of
articles and resources specifically for LD students, covering everything
from navigating the Common Application for Undergraduate College Admission
to keeping yourself engaged in classes. And, true to its name, the
foundation also gives out Rise Award Scholarships each year...
Some students with learning and attention issues have outstanding skills
in certain academic areas. These kids are often called “twice-exceptional”
(or 2E) learners. They’re exceptional in two ways. They’re gifted, and they
have learning issues.
They also face unique challenges, not the least of which are myths and
misconceptions about being 2E. If you have a 2E child, you may hear all
kinds of things that give you pause. Here’s the reality behind seven common
misconceptions.
Myth #1: Being gifted makes up for having a learning or attention issue...
Hyperlexia is a syndrome observed in children who have the following
characteristics: an extraordinary precocious ability to read words, but
significant difficulty in understanding verbal language ...
Also subscribe to the Hyperlexia mailing list
H P N for discussion and information
An overview of sensory integration and current relevant literature, and
discuss this in the context of existing literature about the characteristics
of gifted children. Includes interview, sensory diet, activities, and
more...
[Study] concluded that kindergartners who are identified as troubled
do as well academically as their peers in elementary school. The other found
that children with attention deficit disorders suffer primarily from a delay in
brain development, not from a deficit or flaw. Experts say the findings of
the two studies, being published today in separate journals, could change the
way scientists, teachers and parents understand and manage children who are
disruptive or emotionally withdrawn in the early years of school...
They think Brian’s school problems are my fault... The school
psychologist said Shannon's learning problems were her fault, that she was
lazy and unmotivated and we had to pressure her to work harder...
When a child has trouble learning or behaving in school, the source of the
child's problem can usually be traced to one or more of five causes.
DNA discoveries are revealing why even the best parenting doesn't have the
effects experts promise, from breast-feeding to letting kids learn from
mistakes. Or why different kids, even in the same family, react
differently to the same situations and need different parenting styles, and
may still not learn from their own mistakes...
The problem for twice-exceptional children ... is that they learn an even
more damaging lesson: that if they cannot do a task right away, they won't be
able to do it at all...
(Video) Dr. Dennis Higgins teaches seven twice exceptional boys in New
Mexico who need some unique instruction. Higgins shows how he helps these
boys succeeed...
An annotated directory of mailing lists for families of children with
disabilities and special needs. Each disability mailing list is validated for
usefulness and family orientation...
In today's educational system, the myth of global giftedness is quite
prevalent. While some students are talented in all academic areas, many more
are not. Unevenness tends to be the rule rather than the exception. Thus, many
children, due to a deficit in some aspect of development, are excluded from
gifted programming--something many of them desperately need...
Many of the children with [learning disabilities] showed a significant
difference between Verbal and Performance IQ scores, but so did many of the
typically achieving children. Patterns of performance on intelligence
tests are not reliable enough for the diagnosis of LD in individual
children...
The book is written with the lay person in mind in a clear and concise
manner. The whole IEP process is spelled out in easy to follow steps that
gently glides one through the process
The U.S. Department of Education, in a written response to questions from
the Learning Disabilities Association of North Carolina, stated that "...each
child who is evaluated for a suspected learning disability must be measured
against his or her own expected performance, and not against some arbitrary
general standard." Even an intellectually gifted student may be
considered for eligibility for special education.
Chronicles one family’s experiences throughout a school year as they deal
with their 8-year-old son’s learning differences in a suburban public
school. Though pseudonyms are used at the family’s request, all other
aspects of the story are true. Travel along with Derek and his family
in their struggle to find the right match of programs and teachers for a
smart kid with learning disabilities....
Identifying twice-exceptional students is a challenge for educators, in
addition, because of the wide array of strengths and types of learning
disabilities that exist. But researchers have noticed certain characteristics
of twice-exceptional students...
It is important that we teach our children both lessons - that when things
get tough, we try to fix the situation, and that when the situation is
unsalvageable, we look for other alternatives and make the best choice we can.
Remarkable collection of stories written by fourteen people who live
with Tourette syndrome. Ranging from three teenagers learning to come to
grips with teasing to adults encountering discrimination, the collection
represents the incredible diversity of a disorder as diverse as life
itself...
The essential feature of the obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is
a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control at the expense
of flexibility, openness, and efficiency...
There is a certain well-defined group who are developmentally normal or
even quite bright, yet who may go past their fourth birthday before
beginning to talk. These children are often misdiagnosed as autistic or
retarded, a mistake that is doubly hard on parents who must first worry
about their apparently handicapped children and then must see them lumped
into special classes and therapy groups where all the other children are
clearly very different...
There is a difference in perception regarding the appropriateness of
adaptations and accommodations, as well as differing beliefs about whether
these adaptations and accommodations enable or empower students.
Parents and
students agree with the positive attributes of adaptations and
accommodations; special educators agree to a lesser extent; general
educators, including administrators and counselors, especially those at the
secondary level, tend to disagree with the provision of adaptations and
accommodations... (requires Adobe Reader)
"The teacher says I am enabling him to be the way he is,"
Parents of children with invisible disabilities are constantly being blamed
for their child's difficulties
An explosive child who frequently exhibits severe noncompliance, temper
outbursts, and verbal or physical aggression. If this sounds like your child,
The Explosive Child lays out a sensitive, practical approach to helping your
child at home and school...
Misplaced parental guilt is a monster... Seducing you with what might have
been, it wastes your time, erodes your confidence, devours your energy, and
distracts you from what is – which is the only thing you can do anything about
.The challenge is how to provide a practical, whole-person
understanding. Most twice-exceptional children would respond well to minor
accommodations and a better understanding of their relative strengths and
weaknesses. Ironically, the assessment process itself can sometimes hinder
understanding a child because it is usually superficial...
"Paradoxically liberating" is how Phil Schwarz has described his
Asperger's syndrome diagnosis. He was in his late 30s at the time. "It
allowed me to make sense of everything through a new lens." It seems that
America has fallen in love with the stamp of medical authority. Increasing
numbers of children are given increasingly specific labels...
How can a child learn and not learn at the same time? For many people, the
terms learning disabilities and giftedness are at opposite ends of a
learning continuum
Gifted children exist in all segments of the population. When children are
gifted and have a disability, identification of gifts presents special
challenges. Testing specialists tend to focus their assessments on
establishing the extent of a disability and may not pursue assessment of
giftedness. Stereotypic expectations work against gifted individuals
with disabilities...
Many people have difficulty comprehending that a child can be gifted and
also have learning disabilities. As a result, children with special needs that
result from both their high abilities and their learning problems are rarely
identified and are often poorly served...
We are now in an era when the words "handicapped accessible" are
emblazoned on the consciousness of most Americans and yet we still have not
made gifted education "handicapped accessible." From definitions and
identification to classification and program
A student can be very bright yet have a learning disability. The unique
needs of this special population are often misunderstood in the classroom.
This resource is not available to read on the Internet; the link points to
Johns Hopkins University, the publisher, where you can order it
One way to operationalize learning disabilities (LD) is as a discrepancy
between an individual's ability and his or her achievement or performance.
Although the use of this method of clinical diagnosis has been criticized by
many, the basic idea may still serve as a useful heuristic for understanding
the gifted student with LD. ...it seems reasonable that such an individual
might well benefit from interventions to remediate the LD and from services
to develop skills in those areas where the individual has above-average
abilities...
The lack of information about gifted students with disabilities in gifted
coursework may lead to the underidentification of such students since teachers
of the gifted, often the best recruiters for gifted programs in K-12 schools,
may not be aware of their characteristics or how to screen them appropriately.
Often, a child's disability may mask his or her giftedness, which prevents him
or her from being identified as gifted or leading to a misdiagnosis of the
child's abilities...
Put "LD" and "gifted" in the same sentence and be prepared for puzzled
looks, even signs of disbelief. Students with LD who are also gifted
rarely meet the criteria for special education services. And when they
finally are identified as eligible for special education help, they are
often already in the later grades, swamped with the demands of content area
instruction and lagging behind in grades and assignments because of the
intensity of their work load...
A step by step guide to 'what's age appropriate' for play, and how parents
can make rules for kids to keep them moving in the direction of making and
keeping friends. Good for shy kids and kids who seem to not get those
unwritten social rules, or kids who have to deal with agemates that seem
alien to them. Read the
Davidson
Institute review...
Students with graphomotor problems are frequently called "lazy",
"unmotivated" and/or "oppositional" because they are reluctant to produce
written work...
By honoring our children’s learning preferences, we can offer them the
writing options that will help them succeed. In allowing students to choose
handheld technology as a tool, we will truly respect and meet their needs as
learners and empower them as writers...
It is ironic that in an ideological environment which stresses "full
inclusion" in regular classrooms for children with severe disabilities, highly
gifted children are still being excluded in many ways...
For families who have kids with special needs, the decision to homeschool
is usually a desperate move. Parents are often frustrated by the inability of
schools to provide the services their children need. But can ordinary
parents help their children succeed when teams of experts are unable to do so?
Isn't a school environment the best place for kids to learn? And what about
socialization? The answers to these questions may surprise you...
The biggest problem in identification is that a disability often masks or
inhibits the expression of giftedness, so that it is difficult to tell
whether a person's abilities are outstanding enough to indicate giftedness.
On the other hand, giftedness can often mask the learning disability because
the person's abilities can help him or her overcome or compensate for the
disability...
Writing with authority and compassion, Edwards explains why some children
are especially challenging, for reasons from ADHD to profoundly gifted, then
spells out clear, specific strategies parents can use to address and correct
problem behaviors with firmness and love
I’d like to start by saying that I have a diagnosed permanent learning
disability, as well as ADHD and enough OCD to make my life that much more
interesting. To me, this sounds more like a confession then a story, but
life is what it is and I’m who I am because of my ‘disabilities’. Before I
get into the story, I’d like to share some of my background to help give
perspective on my life up till now...
More is known about the characteristics and needs of gifted students with
learning disabilities today than in the past. However, many of these
students are not identified as requiring services, and if they are, it is
for only 1 exceptionality. This absence of knowledge about the consequences
of the coincidence of gifts and disabilities has resulted in
misidentification and minimal services for many students...
The brains of infants distinguish differences in sounds and it may become
possible to correct language problems even before children start to speak,
sparing them the difficulties that come from struggling with language....
This book has strong implications for anyone who has ever considered
autism, dyslexia, or learning difficulties to be horrible things that must be
stamped out. It shows that the apparent "weakness" and "lack of ability" in
some areas can really be an aspect of a major (but often unrecognized) area of
strength...
Subtest analysis is pervasive in psychological training and practice. But
the evidence that exists regarding relations between subtest profiles and
socially important academic and psychosocial outcomes is, at best, weak.
Hypothesized relationships between subtest profiles and other psychosocial
behaviors persistently fail to achieve statistical or clinical significance...
Today's kids are increasingly disconnected from the natural world, says Louv (Childhood's
Future; Fatherlove; etc.), even as research shows that "thoughtful
exposure of youngsters to nature can... be a powerful form of therapy for
attention-deficit disorder and other maladies." Instead of passing summer months
hiking, swimming and telling stories around the campfire, children these days
are more likely to attend computer camps or weight-loss camps: as a result,
they've come to think of nature as more of an abstraction than a reality...
Individuals with learning differences present a challenge to our
commitment to understanding diversity in learning and to our commitment to
excellence in teaching - not to our standards of excellence in school
achievement...
Based on 5,000 reports prepared by school psychologists, "the results
indicate clearly no need to improve curricula, teaching practices, nor
school administrative practices and management. The only needs somehow
involve improving the stock of children enrolled in the system, and some of
their parents." (sic)
Underachievement has at least four potential underlying causes, each
requiring different intervention strategies. Educators should attempt
to isolate the origin of the underachievement. Gifted students who are
have difficulty with school should be screened for a wide variety of ...
(requires Adobe Reader)
Many children fail to get an appropriate education because of a
preoccupation with ethnicity or a disability that leaves their intellectual
strengths neglected...
Florance began to theorize that Whitney's visual thought process was so
advanced, it had shut down his verbal ability. Together with her two older
children, she developed a method of teaching Whitney to read and to think
sequentially based on visual, rather than verbal cues...
Many highly gifted children have other special needs – learning
disabilities, ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, sensory integration disorder, etc. This
can be very challenging, both in terms of identification, and in terms of
finding ways to address both the gifted and special needs sides of the child
adequately...
Recognizing and supporting the social and emotional needs of
twice-exceptional students are just as important as addressing their
academic needs. We must appropriately identify and serve students who
are gifted/LD in order to maximize their potential both inside and outside
the classroom... (requires Adobe Reader)
Mel
Levine: Teaching All Kinds of Minds Listen on NPR
Recognizing each child's intellectual, emotional, and physical
strengths--and teaching directly to these strengths--is key to sculpting "a
mind at a time," Detailed steps describe how mental processes work for capable
kids, and how they can be finessed to serve those who struggle...
Many gifted and talented children (and adults) are being mis-diagnosed by
psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and other health care
professionals. The most common mis-diagnoses are: Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD),
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Mood Disorders...
The tension between the demand for academic success and the stubborn
reality of a problem makes learning difficulties one of the most contentious
topics in an increasingly competitive and educated society. Don't miss
Experience
Firsthand, including LD activities impacting concentration, decoding,
graphomotor, and 6 other LDs...
"Your child's so smart - she could do that if only she'd try"...
Children who look like they have "motivational problems" may have undiagnosed
special needs. A few of the hidden disabilities that can make children seem
like they "would rather stare at the ceiling than do serious work"...
Write in a million words or less anything you want us to know about your
child. How they learn, what makes them tick, what works, what doesn’t. Since
my child is on an IEP (individualized education plan) at school I had
written a letter quite similar to this one a few years ago, but it was due
for an update. I was thrilled his teachers asked!
Some well-meaning professionals shoot at our mockingbirds. Parents of
twice-exceptional kids are told that our kids are too smart for the special
education services they need -- and in the same breath, that they don't
achieve enough in the classroom to receive the instruction they need
Help parents learn about their children's learning differences and
disabilities, so parents can understand how best to teach and help their
children at school and at home...
Children's individual 'road maps' of learning preferences and difficulties
can tell us much information about how to optimize their learning, but
sometimes it can be difficult figuring out a particular child's ways...
From Adam's-Apple-Jump to Zygomatic Smile,
items in this Dictionary have been researched by anthropologists,
archaeologists, biologists, linguists, psychiatrists, psychologists,
semioticians, and others who have studied human communication from a
scientific point of view
Comprehensive understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder, its
symptoms, types, and presentation in children and teens. The treatment of
OCD is explained, and guidelines on how to both find appropriate help and
best support one's child is provided. Family accommodation is the rule, not
the exception, when it comes to childhood OCD; yet, higher accommodating is
associated with a worsening of the child's symptoms and greater levels of
familial stress. Parents who have awareness of how they can positively or
negatively impact their child's OCD can benefit their child's outcome...
One of the least studied and most often overlooked contributors to
academic, behavioral, and social problems is the area of executive
dysfunction. Executive functions (EF) are central processes that are
most intimately involved in giving organization and order to our actions and
behavior. They have been compared to the "maestro" who conducts the
orchestra...
Pediatricians Klass and Costello address a growing issue: when to worry
and when not, how far to push for diagnosis and/or treatment when a child's
"quirkiness" becomes concerning. Broadly defining "quirky" kids as "the ones
who do things differently," they explore anxiety disorder, attention deficit
disorder, Tourette's syndrome, oppositional defiance disorder, Asperger's
syndrome and other problems...
Our homeschooling adventure began abruptly, when we realized that a bad
preschool situation had become intolerable. Every day, it seemed, Origami
left school either in a rage or in hysterics. Removing Origami from
school produced an immediate positive change in his behavior and in his
state of mind...
In one word, NO! What purpose could be served by having any (LD or
not) gifted child go through a recycled curriculum? A child with a
learning disability may need support to enhance specific skills throughout
his or her education, but should not be held back to make this happen...
It can be difficult to help the siblings of special needs children
understand that parents are not favoring the special needs child, that he or
she truly has severe learning issues...
Shadow Syndromes is thorough, but at the same time it simplifies the
technical aspects of mental illnesses. The authors use plenty of anecdotes to
illustrate how everyday people have recognized and overcome shadow syndromes...
Kids with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities are as
intelligent as others, and often have great strengths–but they learn
differently. If your child, or a child you know struggles with learning or
attention issues, this website is for you. Learn from the
experts—professionals and parents just like you—how to get off the sidelines
and help your child succeed in school and in life...
Provides the reader with a broader conceptualization of the
gifted/LD learner to include students who have gifts in other domains and who
would benefit from being identified and having their talents nurtured.
Provides information for elementary, secondary and college educators,
resources for both education and psychology, and information for families,
including parents and students...
20 short profiles relates the struggles and accomplishments of people with
learning disabilities. They talk about their specific difficulty and how it was
diagnosed. They recount their best and worst memories of school, describe how
they succeeded and failed, and acknowledge the assistance and support (or lack
of) that they received...
The book begins with the "Six Great Gripes of Kids with LD," the first of
which is, "No one explains what LD is, so we spend a lot of time worrying about
what is wrong with us." The authors then describe the five types of LD, the
rights of LD students in public schools, and a variety of behaviors to help LD
kids manage their feelings and get along better at home and in school, as well
as ways to prepare for adult life...
Secondary school students who are concomitantly gifted and learning
disabled is especially at risk for poor academic performance. Often, their
sense of self has been damaged by schools' overemphasis on their
disabilities at the expense of efforts aimed at enhancing their strengths.
This exploration advocates the development of individual student talent as a
philosophical theme for schools to accommodate the social and emotional
needs among gifted/learning disabled youth. Descriptions of several
educational innovations and reform components, likely to enhance talent
development, are included...
Offers both general information on gifted students with disabilities, as
well as specific analysis of those with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome.
Several case studies offer a empathic first-person view of this population
from the eyes of teachers, parents, and the students themselves...
Are they gifted or learning disabled? Educators are now recognizing these
students as "twice-exceptional." Savvy teachers are now learning how to
allow these students to experience the same opportunities available for
gifted students when they are learning in their strength areas. When
students are learning in their areas of weakness, teachers are learning to
provide the same compensation strategies used by other students with
learning disabilities. This article offers specific instruction to empower
teachers to effectively teach twice-exceptional students...
If students are to have organization, study skills and learning strategies
at the point when they need them, the skills have to be taught ahead of time.
By middle school, or certainly no later than high school, students need
specific instruction, demonstration, ample practice, and in many cases careful
monitoring...
The gifted and
learning disabled child exhibits remarkable talents in some areas and disabling
weaknesses in others. This book covers everything a classroom or enrichment
teacher must know in order to address the needs of gifted learning disabled
youngsters, including identification, learning styles, and more
Tourette's
syndrome is a relatively common childhood-onset disorder characterized by
multiple motor and vocal tics. In addition, most patients have other symptoms
such as obsessions, compulsions, motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, and
distractibility, and many meet the criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder
or attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder...
From an early age, Dayle Upham remembers feeling like two persons. The
person on the inside was quick, competent, and would always know the right
answers in school. The person on the outside kept getting in the way
From an early age, Dayle Upham remembers feeling like two persons. The
person on the inside was quick, competent, and would always know the right
answers in school. The person on the outside kept getting in the way
A collaborative effort between classroom teachers, special educators,
gifted educators, and parents is needed to identify twice-exceptional
students and implement strategies to meet their diverse needs. It is
essential that the disabilities are identified early so appropriate
interventions can be provided at optimum times. Unfortunately, the struggles
of many twice-exceptional students go unnoticed for many years, resulting in
learning gaps and undeveloped potentials...
It comes as a surprise to many people to hear that learning disabilities
are as prevalent in the gifted population as in the general population, yet
there is nothing in the definition of learning disabilities (or in their
diagnosis) to preclude the gifted from this category
A compendium of 40 articles by parents, teachers, researchers,
administrators, and students consider the best educational possibilities for
gifted students who also have a disability
Students who are both gifted and learning disabled do not always receive
service for both areas. Students need the opportunity to participate in
enrichment or acceleration programs in order to express their gifts. However,
it is also important to address their learning disabilities...
With vestibular disorders, the type and severity of symptoms can vary
considerably. Symptoms can be frightening and difficult to describe. People
affected by certain symptoms of vestibular disorders may be perceived as
inattentive, lazy, overly anxious, or seeking attention. They may have
trouble reading or doing simple arithmetic. Functioning in the workplace,
going to school, performing routine daily tasks, or just getting out of bed
in the morning may be difficult for some people...
Twice-exceptional (2e) students are gifted students who consistently
demonstrate at home, in the classroom or through testing, many or all of the
following characteristics... In addition, research evidence and my classroom
observations confirm that 2e students also possess unique learning
differences. These differences can result in a difficulty in some or all of
these areas...
Interactive self-help book turns kids into super-sleuths who can
recognize OCD's tricks. Engaging examples, activities, and step-by-step
instructions help children master the skills needed to break free from the
sticky thoughts and urges of OCD, and live happier lives, using
cognitive-behavioral techniques and empowering children to work toward
change
Identification methods that look for intra-individual
differences--comparing a child's oral-language and printed-language skills,
for example--are more likely to catch a talented student with a learning
disability than other methods that compare students' performance with
benchmarks for normally achieving peers...
A few suggestions: when it comes to mail, quantity trumps
quality every time; ask Grandparents, siblings, neighbors and friends
to write; send family photos; send along a calendar for your camper to post
in his room so that he understands when you will be arriving for Parent Day,
when he will be returning home, etc...
The world of exceptional education is difficult to navigate. For us, the
talent search shed light on the map and gave us that little red arrow that
says “you are here.” Out of level testing answered questions...
Hoagies' Gifted, Inc. is a non-profit organization recognized under
Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Your contribution
is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Thanks!
COPAA, September 25, 2008
The
Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of
Twice-Exceptional Students
If
This is a Gift, Can I Send It Back?: Surviving in the Land of the Gifted and
Twice Exceptional
Living
With Intensity: Understanding the Sensitivity, Excitability, and the
Emotional Development of Gifted Children, Adolescents, and Adults
Misdiagnosis And Dual Diagnoses Of Gifted Children And Adults: ADHD, Bipolar,
OCD, Asperger's, Depression, And Other Disorders
The
Mislabeled Child: How Understanding Your Child's Unique Learning Style
Can Open the Door to Success
Rethinking
Learning Disabilities: Understanding Children Who Struggle in School by
Deborah P. Waber (or on
Kindle)
Spotlight
on 2e Booklets
When
Special Ed is Special-er 
Good
Friends Are Hard to Find: Help Your Child Find, Make, and Keep Friends
by Fred Frankel and Barry Wetmore
In the Mind's Eye: Visual Thinkers, Gifted People With Dyslexia and Other
Learning Difficulties, Computer Images and the Ironies of Creativity by
Thomas G. West 
Last
Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by
Richard Louv 
Parenting
Kids With OCD: A Guide to Understanding and Supporting Your Child With OCD
(or from Amazon in
Paperback or
Kindle)
by Leslie E. Packer
Quirky
Kids: Understanding and Helping Your Child Who Doesn't Fit In- When to Worry
and When Not to Worry by Perri Klass and Eileen Costello
Teaching
Kids With Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and
Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Challenge and Motivate Struggling Students
by Susan Winebrenner and Pamela Espeland
Teaching
Gifted Kids in Today's Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher
Can Use 
What
to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming OCD
