Disabilities used to carry with them a significant stigma. Historically, people may have been ashamed of their differences, which were not well understood. If they could hide them, they would. While we are still a long way off from total universal acceptance of learning and thinking differences, we’ve made progress too, especially in terms of the research. Science has shown that students with certain learning disabilities may also have academic “gifts” in one or more areas. It’s also not uncommon for students who demonstrate any kind of difficulty in school to receive a misdiagnosis of ADHD or Dyslexia, when the root of their behavior is actually just boredom. In some cases, it may be both.
Herein lies the problem that many “twice exceptional” students face: the focus is placed disproportionately on either their disability or their gift. In other instances, the two cancel each other out. None of these scenarios will best support the twice-exceptional student’s needs.
The fact is, a student with a “gift” often presents in a very similar way to a student with a learning disability. Restlessness, lack of attention, and low work production could be caused by either feelings of inability or feelings of boredom. The former would lead us to believe the work is too hard, and therefore we modify. The latter leads us to create greater challenge for our students. But when they can’t articulate exactly what their needs are, it can be difficult for us as educators to know how to address them appropriately.
For Teachers
If you have a twice-exceptional student in your classroom (and statistically speaking, it’s likely), it’s important to not jump to conclusions about where their challenges come from. It is also important to learn what their strengths are. Even students who do have a learning disability and do not possess a specific “gift” still have strengths that can be capitalized on and celebrated. Make sure to give them frequent opportunities to use them.
For Parents
As a parent-advocate for a student with exceptional needs, it is important not to play into the traditional narrative that only students’ deficiencies deserve attention. On the one hand, it is true that students will need additional support for areas where they struggle academically. On the other hand, a student in need of extension and more rigorous learning activities will be similarly stymied if she is not supported by a thoughtful and faithfully-executed differentiation plan. Of course, it is understandable that educators are more easily able to identify and classify learning difficulties (and are typically more alarmed by them). That’s why it is important to enter any conversation about your students’ learning needs with an awareness of both their struggle and their talents/areas for extension. Consider:
What kind of tasks does my student enjoy?
What work causes them to lose track of time or become so engaged that they go above and beyond?
What projects or assessments have really allowed my student to “shine” in the past?
The answers to these questions can help illuminate possible modifications to allow your students to demonstrate their learning in innovative ways. Moreover, acknowledging a student’s strengths keeps the focus of any remediation conversation on the proper target–the whole child. No person should be defined solely or even primarily by his or her weaknesses.
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