1. Twice Exceptional: Gifted and Learning Disabled
Presented by: Rebecca L. Mann

2. Definition of Giftedness:
United States Office of Education definition of Gifted and Talented Students
"those who have outstanding abilities, are capable of high performance and who require differentiated educational programs (beyond those normally provided by regular school programs) in order to realize their contribution to self and society."

3. Characteristics of Giftedness
Reasons well Learns rapidly Extensive vocabulary
Excellent memory Long attention span Sensitive
Compassionate Perfectionistic Intense
Morally sensitive Strongly curious Perseveres in interests
High degree of energy Prefers older people Wide range of interests
Great sense of humor Avid reader Concerned with justice
Mature judgment Keen observer Vivid imagination
Highly creative Tends to question authority

4. Definition of Learning Disabilities
Public Law
"a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of the following areas:
(I) oral expression
(ii) listening comprehension
(iii) written expression
(iv) basic reading skill
(v) reading comprehension
(vi) mathematics reasoning
"disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations."

5. At least average intelligence…
A Learning Disability is a neurological/physiological difference in the way the brain is organized.
A neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive, process, store and respond to information…
At least average intelligence…
Difficulty in acquiring basic academic skills…
(National Center for Learning Disabilities)

8. Causes Differences in the structure and functioning of the brain
(National Dissemination Center)
Neurological dysfunction may be presumed or suspected, but learning disabilities have a variety of possible causes.
(Curry School of Education)
A leading theory among scientists is that learning disabilities stem from subtle disturbances in the brain structures and functions.
A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brains ability to receive, process, stores and respond to information.
(National Center for Learning Disabilities)
Since the term learning disability does not describe a single disorder, there is no since cause that has been pinpointed.

9. Characteristics of Twice Exceptional Learners
Signs of Giftedness Signs of Learning Disabilities
~excellent long-term memory
~poor short-term memory
~extensive vocabulary
~oral vocabulary more sophisticated than written
~ excels in reading comprehension
~struggles with decoding words
~excels in mathematical reasoning
~does poorly at computation
~advanced verbal skills in discussions
~refuses to do written work
~facile with computers
~handwriting is illegible
~grasps abstract concepts
~has difficulty with spelling and phonics
~performs better with challenging work
~struggles with easy, sequential material
~thrives on complexity
~difficulty with rote memorization

10. Signs of Giftedness Signs of Learning Disabilities
~highly creative, imaginative
~often inattentive in class
~reasons well
~emotions can overpower reasoning
~is a keen observer
~poor auditory memory
~may have acute hearing
~poor listening skills
~has very interesting ideas, extremely curious
~weak in language mechanics
~had high degree of energy
~may be unable to learn unless interested
~perceptive
~performs poorly on timed tests
~insightful (seems "wise")
~hopelessly disorganized
~excellent sense of humor
~finds clever ways to avoid weak areas
~may excel at art, science, geometry, mechanics, technology, or music
~may fail at foreign languages and subjects
emphasizing audition, sequencing, memory
(Silverman)

11. Strengths vs. Deficiencies
Strengths Deficiencies
Thinking Abilities Self Expression
High Creativity Organizational Abilities
Long-term Memory Short-term Memory
Abstractions Sense Perceptions (distractibility, static
on the auditory channel, sensori-motor)
Problem Solving Social Interactions
Insight Self-esteem (Coleman, 1996)
Organizational Difficulties can be: Thoughts going in
Thoughts coming out Stuff Time

12. …he realized at a really inopportune time.
I’m a man
of few words
…he realized at a really inopportune time.
How’s the
essay coming,
Jeremy?

13. It’s SPELLING TEST TIME!
Speling…
no…
Spellin…
Sepling…
I got it!
It’s SPELLING TEST TIME!

14. A a Н н N n Б б B b П п P p Д д D d Р р R r Э э E e С с S s Ф ф F f
Spelling Test Time!!! For your spelling test today, use the symbols in the shaded box to write your words. In other words, the word “tar” would be spelled “Tap” and the word “vary” would be spelled “Bapbl”.
A a
Н н
N n
Б б
B b
П п
P p
Д д
D d
Р р
R r
Э э
E e
С с
S s
Ф ф
F f
Ш ш
Sh sh
Г г
G g
Т т
T t
Х х
H h
У у
U u
И и
I i
В в
V v
Л л
L l
Ы ы
Y y

15. Indicators of Ability - Achievement Discrepancy
Look beyond test scores.
Look for kids whose performance varies significantly in different areas.
WISC
Studies have shown no consistent pattern in GTLD students
There may be a discrepancy between VCI and PRI (Verbal
Comprehension Index and Perceptual Reasoning Index)
It is important to look at the subtest discrepancies also.
There is a tendency for twice exceptional children to have:
Trouble with: Arithmetic, Digit Span, Coding
sometimes: Picture Completion
High scores in: Comprehension, Vocabulary
often: Information, Similarities,
Picture Arrangement, and Block Design
Divergent answers bring down the score. Twice exceptional children tend to elaborate during testing as that is their way of demonstrating their knowledge or creativity.

16. Categories of Twice Exceptional Learners
Identified Gifted and
Unidentified Learning Disabled
Unidentified Gifted and
Identified Learning Disabled
(Baum)

17. Identified Gifted
and Unidentified Learning Disabled
good verbal skills
poor spelling and/or handwriting
disorganized in their classwork
discrepancies between strengths & weaknesses widen as they grow older
often viewed as "underachieving"
if identified LD - tremendous weight lifted off their shoulders
often passed over for LD support as they are achieving at grade level

18. and Unidentified Learning Disabled
Unidentified Gifted
and Unidentified Learning Disabled
bright enough to compensate for their learning disability
usually appear as average students
usually recognize their giftedness and disability as adults
need occasions where they can show their superior thinking in creative ways
LD masks gifts and gifts mask LD
often gifts emerge in specific content areas or in learning environments where non-traditional methods are used

19. Identified Learning Disabled
Unidentified Gifted –
Identified Learning Disabled
~usually excel in an area of interest
~first noticed for what they cannot do
~disability depresses their intellectual performance
~good reasoning and thinking skills detected by teachers and/or parents
~most "at risk" because the LD label tends to have a focus on deficits
~often have incredible projects in the works at home
~focus is so much on their disability it is difficult for them to give themselves credit for their abilities

20. It’s time for your weekly math time test!

21. What every learning disabled child would love to ask…

22. Library Gifted Learning Disabled or Underachievement?
Just because a gifted student is not
producing does not mean he or she
is learning disabled.
Other reasons for underachievement:
Unrealistic expectations by others
May seek rewards in different environments
Social or emotional problems
Student's self-expectations can be too
high (a task may never be able to be
completed to perfection)
Student may have a conflict with school value system i.e. grades are trivial
May not have learned study skills due to ease of curriculum in earlier grades
Motivation, interest, and specific aptitude influence the amount of effort
(Baum, 1991)
Library
I’m looking for something to tell me how to be totally unique without anyone being able to tell.

23. ADHD vs. Gifted
ADHD (DSM-IV, 1994) G/T (Silverman, 1993)
~difficulty with sustained attention, ~poor attention, often due to,
daydreams boredom, daydreams
~failure to concentrate unless ~lack of persistence on tasks in
one-to-one that seem irrelevant
~failure to complete independent ~task completion often reliant on
activities personal interests
~ability to listen attentively seems ~often appears bored during
diminishes discussions
~messy, disorganized environment ~possible disinterest in
organization
~impulsivity, poor judgment ~judgment lags behind intellect
~problems adhering to rules for ~intensity possibly leading to
regulating behavior struggles with authority
~activity level often heightened ~frequently high activity
~trouble following directions ~questions rules, directions

24. ADHD
HIGHLY CREATIVE
~often fails to finish tasks, especially those demanded externally
~broad range of interest often prohibits task completion
~distractible but not in all situations
~great attention in self-selected work
~frequent shifts in activities
~adaptable and sometimes erratic
~does not appear to listen
~hypomanic to the point of not listening
~daydreams
~imaginative
~misplaces items needed for work completion
~so preoccupied as often to overlook the concrete
~difficulty organizing work
~finds order amidst chaos
~needs a lot of supervision in order to meet deadlines
~freedom of spirit that rejects externally imposed limits
~excessive activity
~high energy level
~often engages in challenges without considering consequences
~willing to take risks in order to satisfy plans for creative pursuits
~frequently acts without thinking
~often impulsive in actions
~solitary activities often preferred
~independent often preferring to be alone
~social interactions may be negative
~little interest in relationships
~talks while tackling tasks
~self-talk during creative work
~prone to rapid changes in mood
~often experiences emotional variability
Crammond, 1991

25. Categories of Specific Learning Disabilities
LD Terminology
Disability
Area of difficulty
Symptoms include trouble with
Example
Dyslexia
Processing language
Reading, writing & spelling
Letters and words may be written or pronounced backwards
Dyscalculia
Math skills
Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time & money
Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s
Dysgraphia
Written expression
Handwriting, spelling
Illegible handwriting, difficulty
Dyspraxia
Fine Motor Skills
Coordination, manual dexterity
Trouble with scissors, buttoning, drawing
Information Processing Disorders
Auditory Processing Disorder
Interpreting auditory information
Language development, reading
Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence
Visual Processing Disorder
Interpreting visual information
Reading, writing, and math
Difficulty distinguishing letters like “h” and “n”
Other Related Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)
Concentration and focus
Over-activity, distractibility & impulsivity
Can’t sit still, loses interest quickly
Twenty-third Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA, US Department of Education, 2001

26. Reading Fluency Test Time!
Groups of two
One person is the recorder and one is the reader.
When we say “begin” the reader will have one minute to read as much as he or she can of the passage in orange print.
The recorder will make a mark on the white paper each time the reader incorrectly reads a word.
The recorder will write down the number of words the reader was able to read during the one minute time frame and subtract the number of errors. The resulting score is the reader’s fluency score.
The reader and the recorder will reverse roles and go through the same process with a new reading passage.

27. Is it ADHD or Giftedness?
Does the child show these behaviors at home?
Could a lack of interest or relevancy play a part?
Is the child unable to concentrate even when interested in the subject?
Have any curricular modifications been made in an attempt to change the behaviors?
Has the child been interviewed? What are his or her feelings about the behaviors?
Does the child feel out of control?
Do the parents perceive the child to be out of control?
Has the child been taught strategies to limit stimuli and deal with stress?
Has the child been taught appropriate social skills?
Can the "inattentive" child repeat the instructions?
Do the behaviors occur at certain times of the day, during certain subjects, with certain teachers, in certain environments and not in other circumstances?
Is the child getting the appropriate amount of teacher attention?
Does the child demand constant attention from the teacher?
Is the child just demonstrating his or her personality, type of giftedness, or intensity? (Silverman, 1994)

28. Strategies for Teaching the Twice Exceptional Student
NURTURE GIFTS, RESPECT CHILD
Curricular Needs
Differentiation
Challenging material at advanced level
Interdisciplinary
Don't make everything a secret Language Arts lesson
Make the curriculum relevant
Provide individually paced curriculum in areas of giftedness & disability
Using strengths to compensate for weaknesses
Find a mentor in the child’s area of interest who likes child
Find the child’s interest area and use that area to remediate
Love sharks + poor reader = start with books about sharks

29. Strategies for Teaching the Twice Exceptional Student
Accommodations
Books on tape
AlphaSmart or other word processor
Spell checker/spelling guide
Inspiration software

30. Teaching Strategies More Accommodations Assisted note taking
Computers for instruction
Study guides
Highlight in different colors
Yellow for spelling errors
Pink for grammar errors
Gather information through interviews, videos, experiments
Options for communicating ideas
Slides, models, speeches, mime, mural, video production
Avoid rote memorization and timed tests
Tape lectures
Calculator
Oral tests
Abbreviate written assignments
Allow extra time for assignments and tests

31. Teaching Strategies
Equate success with effort
Promote active inquiry involving discussion & experimentation
Provide open-ended challenges that require divergent thinking
Offer options that enable child to use his strengths and
learning style
Incorporate projects that investigate real
problems & real audiences
Highlight abstract thinking
Design enrichment activities to circumvent
weaknesses
Provide options to all students so child isn’t singled out
Encourage looking for relationships and patterns

32. More Teaching Strategies
Create a supportive environment
Model celebrating individual differences
Minimize "teacher talk"
Use mnemonics for concepts requiring recall
Encourage visualization
Get eye contact before speaking
Teach goal setting
Independent Projects in area of interest
Teach child how to break down project into parts
Allow child opportunity to share with class and/or to showcase the talent

33. Counseling
Provide emotional support
Teach child to be his or her own advocate
If possible, have child work with other GTLD students
Help child become aware of strengths and weaknesses
Teach social skills
Find role models
Organizational Strategies
Color code book covers and notebooks
Graphic organizers
Create flow charts
Colored stickers on desk
Red = turn in homework
Yellow = put homework in backpack
Blue = take lunchbox home

34. Time management
How long do you think it will take? Have student time himself or herself.
Use egg timer
Get watch with alarm
Strategies for parents
Take photos of things to remember
- tape to the back of the door or mirror
Rearrange room to make it practical
Find tutor - don't be homework heavy - celebrate child's gifts
Work with the school to create a supportive team
Be a role model
Focus on effort, not grades
Do not allow child to use learning disability as an excuse
Expect child to use skills; have child do practical tasks
(i.e. thank you notes)

36. IEP???
504???

37. Now, all you round pegs get back into your square holes!”
“Summer’s over kids!
Now, all you round pegs get back into your square holes!”