Smart Kids With LD

By Sheryl Knapp

Students with learning disabilities who are also gifted have unique needs. These twice-exceptional (2e) children differ from their mainstream peers in that they know and understand far more than others, yet they may have trouble spelling simple words, tying their shoes, or remembering to bring home their books.

Despite advanced intellectual capabilities, 2e students often require academic supports and accommodations to be successful, help they may spurn as it makes them feel as if they’re cheating. Even the traditional classroom can be challenging as highly stimulating, cluttered classrooms magnify problems with attention.

For many 2e students feeling valued and respected, and having a sense of belonging are critical to success, yet they often feel out of place and stressed out, causing them to resort to a “fight or flight” survival mode.

Because 2e students defy our stereotypes of both gifted and LD students, they are often misdiagnosed and over-medicated, and educators frequently assume that they are lazy or less capable than their peers.

Nurturing Environments

As a parent, show that you like, respect, and value who your child is rather than putting undue emphasis on traditional academic skills such as reading and writing. Never put your child’s gifts on hold until he catches up academically, as it is through development of these talents and abilities that he will become self-regulated, empowered, confident, goal-directed, and successful.

Take the initiative in your school system to help create a learning community that respects the intellectual, physical, and emotional needs of 2e students. Use the guidelines below to ensure that your child’s academic environment values her unique strengths, talents, ethics, values, personality, and passions.

10 Commandments For Teaching 2E Students

1. The curriculum should be at a level that is challenging, engaging, and preserves students’ feelings of self-efficacy.
2. To allow full access to the curriculum, information should be presented in alternative ways (DVDs, demonstrations, hands-on learning, etc.). Assistive technologies may also be helpful.
3. Because writing may be difficult for 2e students, assistive technology may be used to support the writing process, from formal writing assignments to note-taking. It is often helpful to have students dictate stories first and type them later. Also offer alternative vehicles for communication, such as drama and poetry.
4. Utilize teaching and learning activities that enable 2e students to remain focused on the lesson. Effective strategies include presenting moral dilemmas, simulations, Socratic questioning, project-based learning, and creative problem solving.
5. Create a quiet space where students can organize their thoughts and focus on tasks. This can be a shared space as long as students have the opportunity to use it privately. Equip the space with a computer and other materials to aid the learning process.
6. Create a space conducive to reading, equipped with soft lighting (fluorescent lighting may be debilitating) and comfortable seating.
7. When it is not possible to have smaller class sizes, whole-class teaching should be kept to a minimum. Place students with others who share their interests and skills to maximize attention and learning.
8. To build confidence, empower students to choose how to learn and be assessed, and respect their choices. For example, a model of a molecule should be valued as much as an essay about that molecule. Offering students choices also allows 2e students to accept accommodations without feeling different or inferior.
9. Teach the skills of emotional intelligence through group discussion and direct teaching. When 2e students share social and emotional issues, they discover that peers also have emotional strengths as well as concerns; this helps them to better understand and advocate for themselves.
10. Most important, identify and nurture talents. These gifts are critical to the lifelong success of 2e students, yet they are often compromised by academic, social or emotional challenges. Opportunities include advanced classes in talent areas, working on creative projects with other talented students, mentorships, and competitions.

This article is based on a presentation by Susan Baum, Ph.D. for Smart Kids and NorwalkSEEKS. To read more of Dr. Baum’s insights, see the blog post “Gifted and LD.”