Is your child twice exceptional? Also referred to as 2e, children like yours are highly gifted in some areas—and also experience learning challenges in others. This gifted, but challenged, definition of 2e is a general umbrella term that may mean different things for different children. Your child could excel in areas that may cause other 2e students to struggle. Or, they could have trouble mastering academic content or developing specific skills that some twice exceptional children have little difficulty with.
When it comes to your child, their abilities, strengths, and areas for improvement make them an individual. The way you support them in their learning journey won’t necessarily look like the way another parent would help their child. This makes it essential to find the right guidance from relevant educational and therapeutic professionals, such as literacy specialists, occupational therapists and executive functioning coaches.
What Are the Challenges of 2e?
Parents and teachers won’t always, or often, connect the term “gifted” to educational challenges. But for a 2e child, giftedness does not always equal ease in learning or above-average academic success. While the specific challenges 2e children experience vary, common issues include:
The “lazy” label. A child tests or measures as “gifted.” In response, the child is placed in a gifted class or the label creates learning and development expectations. But the child’s challenges (which are often masked by the giftedness) make it difficult to succeed. The child falls behind academically and is viewed as lazy or as an underachieving student.
Inaccurate standardized test results. Every 2e child won’t have a high IQ score. But this doesn’t tell the full story. The 2e child may think and learn differently than what is expected. This can interfere with the ability to take standardized tests and may make some traditional measures of intelligence less valuable. A 2e child who struggles with language or communication may not test well. The result is often placement in an inappropriate classroom.
Boredom at school. What happens when a 2e child is placed into a special education class that doesn't fit their needs? They aren’t challenged. The lack of challenges in the classroom environment can lead to boredom. This can also make the child appear lazy when, in reality, the material and instruction does not match their higher learning level.
Social struggles. Academics aren’t the only area that 2e affects. Twice exceptional students may also find it challenging to relate to their peers or handle social situations. This can make the school day difficult and increase the child’s stress level. The result is often withdrawal, decreased self-confidence, hostility, or acting out/behavioral problems.
How Can Your Child Get the Help They Need To Thrive In the School Setting?
Identification of 2e is the first step towards success. If you only suspect your child is twice exceptional, you will need to collaborate with the multidisciplinary educational team at your child's school - teachers, school administration, support staff, related service providers, and any other specialists who work with your child regularly. You can also go outside your child's school to seek independent learning, behavioral developmental professionals to determine whether your child meets the criteria.
Keep in mind, giftedness may mask or mimic some types of disabilities and learning challenges. This can lead to a misdiagnosis. The increased likelihood of a misdiagnosis makes it important to connect with the right professionals and receive a comprehensive evaluation. For example, a highly gifted child who excels in math may get bored with the standard grade-level curriculum and content. Instead of sitting quietly and working on a math task, they may quickly complete the problems and then interrupt the class or exhibit behaviors that otherwise would be consistent with ADHD. Add in difficulty in other areas of learning (which you would expect with a 2e child) and you have a recipe for the wrong diagnosis.
After identification, the next step is to determine your child’s challenges and the barriers to their educational progression. Again, not every 2e child has the same challenges. You will need to understand what areas your child excels in and what areas they need extra help with. Think of these as the micro levels of your child’s education. On a macro, or broad level, you will also need to address who your child interacts with in the academic environment and how both their giftedness and their challenges affect overall learning expectations as well as outcomes.
Children who are twice exceptional often benefit from individualized instruction. 1:1 educational support takes the child’s gifts and challenge areas into account. It focuses the instructional methods and content in a way that interests the child and makes learning attainable.
How Can You Support Your Twice Exceptional Child?
Support for your child starts at home. Talk to your twice exceptional student, discuss their gifts and challenges, and let them know you’re there for them. You will also need to address your concerns, your child’s concerns, and your child’s special needs with the teacher and other school staff members. Regular contact with the educational team can help you to support your child. It also allows you to better understand interventions and approaches that the school may choose to use. Collaboration with the special education team can help your child generalize, or carry over, skills by giving you ideas for at-home learning.
If your child has a diagnosis, such as ADHD, ASD, or Dyslexia, you will need to find the best professionals to work with. The specific type of professionals your child needs to see will depend on the diagnosis and the challenges they face. A speech language pathologist can help children with language and communication disorders. A literacy specialist can help a child with encoding and decoding difficulties. An occupational therapist can help a child manage their sensory needs. This can facilitate academic and social success, making it easier for the child to express themselves appropriately, communicate their needs, and assert themselves in the educational environment!
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