Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s Classroom

The following is an excerpt from Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s Classroom by Emily Kircher-Morris. It was published in August 2021 by Free Spirit Publishing. The book aims to equip educators with information that will make it easier for them to advocate for their 2e students.

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Designing Strength-Based Instruction for Twice-Exceptional Learners

When gifted students are identified as twice exceptional, the need to address their weaknesses does not negate the need for curricular accommodations and modifications in their areas of strength. Typical opportunities provided for gifted learners should also be made accessible to 2e students. Viewing learners from a holistic perspective is vital to meeting their overall needs. Work with children on a case-by-case basis to define their needs.

Meeting the Gifted Needs of the 2e Learner

Many interventions can help educators meet the cognitive needs of gifted learners. These interventions should not be withheld from gifted students just because they also have special needs. For an overview of enrichment, acceleration, and placement options for 2e students, see figure 2-1. For guidance on implementing these tools, check out Susan Winebrenner and Dina Brulles’s book Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classroom. Figure 2-1 Enrichment, Acceleration, and Placement Options for 2e Learners [table id=19 /] 

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ACCELERATION FOR 2E KIDS? It is a common myth that accelerating students to participate in classes with older peers is bad for students’ social and emotional development. However, research shows this to be false. Two of the most comprehensive resources on acceleration are the report A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students (Colangelo, Assouline, and Gross 2004) and its follow-up report, A Nation Empowered: Evidence Trumps the Excuses Holding Back America’s Brightest Students (Assouline, Colangelo, and VanTassel-Baska 2015). These reports show the benefits of acceleration when it’s implemented correctly. The Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) is a tool that takes a comprehensive look at the whole child, from achievement scores to whether the child has a sibling in the class above. It is a useful guide for having conversations with teams considering appropriate acceleration for gifted and 2e students.

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The Basics of Differentiation for 2e Students