Special Education

“Twice-Exceptional” Gifted Study

By Christina A. Samuels — November 25, 2008 1 min read
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The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. and four St.Paul-area school districts are embarking on a study that will help educators learn the best ways to teach gifted children who also have learning disabilities.

From an article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Raising children with learning barriers is a task in itself, "but when they're bright and gifted and have a high IQ, it's even more frustrating, because the teachers just don't understand how to work with these kids," said Bloomington parent Chelle Woolley, whose 17-year-old son, Matt, was in fifth grade when he tested out for both giftedness and attention deficit disorder. A growing awareness of so-called "twice-exceptional" or "2X" students, many of whom qualify for both gifted and special education services, is prompting some researchers to take a closer look at their needs.

Here’s another article on the grant, in the Minnesota Sun newspaper.

The topic of twice-exceptional students also came up during an online chat I moderated last week on the evolving definition of giftedness. This is a must-read for those interested in gifted education.

Other interesting resources include my colleague Debra Viadero’s 1995 story on twice-exceptional students. Also, Education Week hosted a chat on giftedness in 2007 that is also a good source of information.

A version of this news article first appeared in the On Special Education blog.