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a ready-to-run workshopTwice-Exceptional Learners
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Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners (Workshop)

Some students are both gifted and have a disability, twice-exceptional, and their two sides can mask each other, so neither gets served. Recognizing and supporting 2e learners means meeting both the giftedness and the disability at once.

Key takeaway

Twice-exceptional students are both gifted and have a disability, and the two can mask each other so neither is served; supporting them means meeting the giftedness and the disability together.

Format
PLC / team meeting
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
Any teacher-leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutA puzzling student in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Rigorous ContentInTASC 2: Learning DifferencesResearch on twice-exceptional learners
Share / assign

Why it works

Twice-exceptional (2e) students, who are gifted and also have a disability (such as a learning difference, ADHD, or autism), are frequently misunderstood: the giftedness can mask the disability (so they look fine but struggle) or the disability can mask the giftedness (so their ability is missed), and often they appear merely average while both needs go unmet. Research points to recognizing the dual profile and supporting both, challenge and enrichment for the gift, accommodation and support for the disability, at the same time.

The research: Research on twice-exceptional learners.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: recognize and serve both sides

    Teachers leave with a plan to challenge the strengths and support the disability together.

    Serve the gift and the disability togetherIn a 2e student, strengths and challenges mask each other. Challenge the gift and support the disability at the same time, or neither gets served.

    Facilitator notes

    Do not let one side hide the otherWhen the gift masks the struggle or the struggle masks the gift, the student looks average and neither need is met. Recognize and serve both.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Twice-Exceptional: serve both sides

    <b>Gifted and disabled at once:</b> challenge and enrich the strengths, accommodate and support the disability, together.

    1. A student who may be 2e:
    2. How I challenge and enrich the strengths:
    3. How I accommodate and support the disability:
    4. How I keep one from canceling the other:
    5. My specialist collaboration:

    Make it stick

    Both at once:

    Common questions

    How can a gifted student also have a disability?
    Readily, the two are separate. A student can be highly able in some areas and have a learning difference, ADHD, or autism in others. That is twice-exceptional.
    Why are 2e students often missed?
    Because the two sides mask each other: the gift hides the struggle, or the struggle hides the gift, and the student may look average, so neither need is addressed.
    How do I support a 2e student?
    Serve both at once: provide challenge and enrichment for the areas of strength, and accommodation and support for the disability. Do not let one cancel the other.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

    Workshop
    Gifted, Enrichment & Acceleration
    Workshop
    Dyslexia & Learning Differences
    Workshop
    Accommodations, IEPs & 504s