WHO ARE THE TWICE EXCEPTIONAL? WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS? SUSAN BAUM, PH.D. BRIDGES ACADEMY , DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Two Types of Giftedness Schoolhouse or Lesson Learning Giftedness Creative/Productive Giftedness

WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS? Task Commitment Above Average Ability Creativity A I U C C T P

I C P T A U “…we believe gifted behaviors take place in certain people (not all people), at certain times (not all the time), and under certain circumstances (not all circumstances).” The Schoolwide Enrichment Model J.S. Renzulli & Sally M. Reis

The Stages of Talent Development THE DISCOVERING PIECE Talents are sometimes obvious. We don’t need to gather mountains of data to determine the students’ math or reading skills if their performance is beyond that of his/her peers. There are other students, however, whose skills are still being developed. Interests are piqued; they find a subject or topic that is truly intriguing; they find a mentor or role model whose work just fascinates them and they start to pursue the topic/subject in great depth. Other students have not unearthed one or more talents. There is still quite of bit of nurturing to be done or the students need to be exposed to new areas that may lead to a strength or developing interest. Identifying interests is critical to awakening that passion, drive, or motivation. Some interests are fleeting and others are always an important part of us. manifest emergent latent

Diagnosing Jefferson, (Norm Ledgin) Awkward gate Socially inept Uneasy with eye contact Discomfort with emotionality Obsession with recording financial transactions

Gifted Students with Aspergers Syndrome Classic manifestations: Knowledgeable in topics of interest, narrow focused Quantitative impairment in social interaction, Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, Stereotyped or repetitive motor mannerisms, Need for structure and predictable routine

Gifted students with ADD/ADHD Classic manifestations: Creative thinkers Difficulty sustaining attention especially in listening activities Difficulty completing written work, Physical restlessness or feelings of restlessness Impulsivity Difficulty following through on instructions from others (not due to oppositional behavior or failure of comprehension)

Gifted students with Learning Disabilities ssic manifestations: Auditory and/or visual processing problems, Limited working memory, problems following multi-step directions Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, Disorganized, Sensory-motor integration difficulties, Poor handwriting and spelling, Difficulty putting ideas in writing, taking notes, and taking timed tests.

Gifted students with Non -Verbal Learning Disabilities Classic manifestations: Difficulty with nonverbal messages, Difficulty with executive functioning (organization, planning), Problems in math are common, especially in the areas of computation, word problems, and abstract applications. Concept formation and abstract reasoning may be significantly impaired.

Gifted Students Psychological or Social Emotional Disorders Examples include ODD, OCD, Bi-Polar, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, emotional fragility

Case Study of Blaine Official Diagnosis in Grade Four nine-year-old boy being seen for neurological examination as part of a comprehensive child study team evaluation. Information provided by mother and observations in the office setting indicates that difficulties displayed by Blaine have a multi factorial basis, including: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Mild Oppositional Defiant Disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder; and Mild unevenness in skill development.

Recommendations 1. Ongoing individual counseling & family therapy 2. Ritalin and Clonadine 3. Social skills intervention to facilitate development of appropriate skills 4. Consistent behavior management at home and in school 5. No OT or PT 6. Return to regular school in cooperation with special services

Blaine’s WISC III Profile Verbal. 142 Performance. 119 Full Scale Blaine’s WISC III Profile   Verbal 142 Performance 119 Full Scale 134 Verbal Comprehension 150 Perceptual Organization 124 Freedom from Distraction 98 Processing Speed 109

Blaine’s WISC III Profile Information: 19 Blaine’s WISC III Profile  Information: 19 Picture completion 14 Similarities: 19 Coding 8 Arithmetic 10 Mazes 8 Vocabulary: 19 Block Design 18 Comprehension19 Object assembly 9 Digit span: 9 Symbol Search 15

WISC IV Verbal Comprehension Perceptual Reasoning Working Memory Processing Speed Full Scale

Profile of “2E” Students ·  Knowledgeable, talented in specific areas, in- depth interests · Low academic self-efficacy  · Creativity used for survival   · Disruptive behavior to hide disability Poor self regulation   Depression and anxiety Social issues Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Identification of “2E” Students ·  Giftedness: Behavior may mask gift Test scores may be misleading Fail to meet traditional guidelines for giftedness Special Needs Grade level performance Overcompensation Unwilling to accept dual exceptionality Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Strategies Become knowledgeable about how characteristics of giftedness affect and interact with learning, behavior and attention. Keep careful records of the kinds of support the student needs to complete homework, stay on task, and memorize information. Make sure professionals on the team evaluating the youngster are also knowledgeable about the issues facing twice exceptional students. Persist until the appropriate diagnoses are made. Assure that the team uses information that details when the student is at his personal best as well as those times when she is struggling. A Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Identification of “2E” students at Bridges Academy Currently students are deemed gifted for the purposes of the Bridges Academy program in one of 3 ways: 1) If they have already been identified as gifted through the achievement of a Full scale IQ score above 130. Because twice-exceptional students often have one or more low sub-scores that depress full-scale scores and mask gifts, we look for signs of cognitive strengths using index or sub-test analysis.

Identification of 2 E: Bridges Academy 2) A significant difference between or among indices with the student scores in the superior range in VCI o PRI (120+) and the scores in WMI or PSI fall within the average range (90-119). 3) Their IQ falls within the average range but attains scores in at least three subtest scores (from VCI or PRI) 12 or above. Once superior cognitive abilities are identified, we look for further evidence of gifted behavior-- exceptional interests, passion, and creativity in one or more academic area or discipline

BEHAVIORAL TRAITS Students have been found to have one or more of the following traits which at times are mistaken for manifestations of learning differences. Advanced vocabulary Advanced interests and passions in specific areas Ability to grasp new ideas and concepts easily High energy Risk taking Curiosity Argumentative, cynical Indifferent to common conventions and courtesies May not participate in class activities

Dabrowski’s “Overexcitabilities” Psychomotor Intellectual Emotional Sensual Imaginational

TALENT CENTERED MODEL FOR TWICE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS Susan M. Baum, Ph.D. .

Twenty –five years of research Learning disabled students with superior cognitive ability: A validation study West Hartford Enrichment Program for Gifted Learning Disabled Students State grants on GLD and the effect of talent development on achievement: Project Rescue, North Haven, Cheshire Project High Hopes, Javits Grant Prince Georges County, MD. Garrett County Public Schools\ Bridges Academy Numerous case studies Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

How do we meet their needs? (Developing the IEP) Talent development A supportive physical environment Challenging curriculum Differentiated instruction and accommodations. Targeted remediation and support services Social & emotional support Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Dual differentiation??

Talent Development Physical Environment Challenging Curriculum Social & Emotional Support Differentiated Instruction Talent Development Physical Environment Challenging Curriculum Targeted Remediation Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Why Talent Development? Provides pathway to success Develops self regulation and awareness of how to be successful Emotional release Basis for socialization Develops identity and positive sense of self Opportunity to see students at their personal best. Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

p BRIDGES ACADEMY: A CLOSE-UP VIEW BRIDGES ACADEMY

Student CV: Family context CV: Learning Differences cr CV: Gifts, talents, and interests cr cr cr CV: Family context cr cr Student CV: Learning Differences cr CV: Evolving social and emotional profile cr cr cr CV: Learning disabilities cr cr cr cr cr

GIFTS, TALENTS and INTERESTS Talent Development opportunities (TDO): Master Writers, Science Research, History Research, Art Enriched curriculum units GIFTS, TALENTS and INTERESTS Outside TDOs: Mock Trial, summer and evening courses, special classes Talent alignment through choice Student-initiated Type III projects: independent projects with real-world audience and impact Grade/course acceleration

Enrichment Triad Model TYPE I* GENERAL EXPLORATORY ACTIVITIES TYPE II GROUP TRAINING ACTIVITIES . TYPE III INDIVIDUAL & SMALL GROUP INVESTIGATIONS OF REAL PROBLEMS Environment in General Regular Classroom BRIDGES.

Talent Development Opportunities at Bridges Winter session electives Outdoor education Mentorships History Day Competitions Music ensembles/ Jazz festival Talent groups: art, writing, science, technology Mock trial….and growing possibilities

LEARNING DIFFERENCES Small class size Instructional strategies Varied resources for accessing content, e.g. books on tape DVDs, speakers, field trips LEARNING DIFFERENCES Project and product choices Independent and group work Physical environment, e.g., flexible seating and work space options,

LEARNING DISABILITIES Instructional strategies Use of technology, e.g., laptops, calculators, Smart boards LEARNING DISABILITIES Use of assistive technology, e.g., audio texts, voice recognition software Extended time for tests, homework assignments, Study skills functioning skills embedded in the curriculum and taught through tutoring and homework support Use of scaffolding to support and nurture executive functioning

Is about …Main IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsSo what Is about …Main IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsSo what? What is important to understand about this?

EMERGING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL PROFILE Socialization is enhanced through interests such as technology Exposure to therapies (art, music, equine) connect students to emotions and awareness. EMERGING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL PROFILE Using drama to nurture social skills and encourage the disposition of the performer. Team approach: in-house educational therapist and clinical psychologist support students through crises. Field trips, competitions, etc. provide authentic contexts for social behaviors. Talent development opportunities provide a positive approach for coping

Social and Emotional Support Prevalent Issues Self Esteem Identity Social Skills Friendship Frustration and Overwhelm Emotional Readiness to Learn Bridges Academy

Support Services: A Team Approach Educational Therapists Psychologists Alternate therapies/ equine, art, music Speech and language Occupational therapist Social skills coaches Medical personnel Team meetings Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Collaboration with outside therapists, doctors, tutors and Bridges staff to help parents support their children. Orientation events FAMILY CONTEXT Breakfast With… Parent education workshop series Ongoing communication Referrals for family therapy

Edward Hallowell (2005) I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of strengths or the mere suggestion of a talent. Knowing that a person builds a happy and successful life not on remediated weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to place those strengths at the top of what matters Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN 2007 – 2008 TALENT AREAS OF INTEREST sketching, sculpture, art, drama, writing TALENT DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES Dramatic roles in class performances, intersession drama course, talent development in art class, design and create mural project of her original creations on wall of office, self-initiated writing project with peer

ABILITY/ACADEMIC PROFILE Strengths Verbal analytic abilities Perceptual reasoning abilities Reading skills Weaknesses Working memory Attentional skills Expressive language skills Pragmatic language skills Math and writing skills Executive functioning skills

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL Oppositional behaviors Possible Triggers: not wanting to participate in class activities, feeling overwhelmed by writing tasks, difficulty sustaining attention during class, wanting to do work later with her educational therapist, being vulnerable to others knowing that she doesn’t know what to do. Words to Say: I know you can do this with my support, provide encouragement for her cognitive and emotional resources Actions to Take: Make agreements with her as to when it is appropriate for her to work/draw in class, provide cues for attention, provide explicit instruction and reinforcement. Long Term Behavioral Goal(s): to develop awareness of social skills to establish and maintain relationships to engage in areas of high interest, creativity and motivation

REMEDIATION Goal: to improve writing skills Goal: to improve executive functioning skills ACCOMMODATION/COMPENSATION Structure Keyboard Allow drawing in class during discussions Provide explicit instruction Break tasks into manageable chunks Allow breaks Provide cues for organization Provide reinforcement for behaviors

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS Perceive, Initiation, Modulate, Gauge, Focus/Select, Sustain, Stop/Interrupt, Flexible/Shift, Inhibit, Hold, Manipulate, Organize, Foresee, Generate, Associate, Balance, Store, Retrieve, Pace, Time, Execute, Monitor, Correct (McCloskey, 2007) Intrapersonal (Control in relation to the self) Interpersonal (Control in relation to others) Environment (Control in relation to the natural and man-made environment)

Support IEP No Med. Psychiatrist Social Skills Group Educational Therapist

Edward Hallowell (2005) I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of strengths or the mere suggestion of a talent. Knowing that a person builds a happy and successful life not on remediated weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to place those strengths at the top of what matters Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.