THE JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION APPRENTICESHIP, 7(2)

Vol. 7(2) June 2018

Strategies for Supporting Students Who Are Twice-Exceptional

Janet Josephson
Charlton Wolfgang
Rich Mehrenberg
Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Students with disabilities have There are stark differences between

complex learning needs. It wasn’t until the 2e students and those students identified as
2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with having solely a disability or gifts and talents.
Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) that Students with disabilities are often
federal attention was pointed towards recognized by their families and teachers
students who are both gifted and have a when they are not showing the same
disability. This concept, known as twice- academic, social, or developmental
exceptionality, is a difficult concept to fully characteristics as same-age peers. In the
comprehend as the characteristics of these educational setting, teachers often target
students can be complicated. Reis, Baum, the areas of development that need
and Burke (2014) define twice-exceptional support when working with students with
(2e) students as those who have disabilities. Students with gifts and talents
simultaneous characteristics of a gifted often stand out to their families and
student and a student with a disability. In teachers in other ways; they display
order to earn the 2e label, students must be strengths, talents, or interests that
identified as having high aptitude as well as differentiate them from same-age peers.
a disability as classified by their state of Teachers of students with gifts and talents
residence. Although research on 2e may work to create advanced programming
students has increased within the last three that appropriately challenges them.
decades, the needs of these students are According to Baum and Owen (2004), what
not necessarily being met in schools complicates the identification and progress
(National Association for Gifted Children, of 2e students is the fact that their
2013). There is still limited consensus on characteristics often mask each other; their
the needs and characteristics of these disability can mask their gifts and talents, or
students as well as a lack of understanding their gifts can mask their disability.
of the most effective strategies for teaching Furthermore, because of the variation of
them (Reis et al., 2014). characteristics among defined disabilities, it
is challenging to describe specific
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characteristics of 2e students (Barnard- or a diagnosis of a disability (Baum & Owen,

Brak, Johnsen, Hannig, & Wei, 2015). In the 2004).
educational setting, teachers may In this article, we will identify five
experience difficulties meeting the needs of evidence-based strategies that teachers
2e students while simultaneously should consider when supporting and
addressing their remarkable strengths instructing 2e students in the elementary,
because these students don’t meet the middle, and secondary grades. We
traditional definitions of their dual recognize that there are a multitude of
exceptionalities (Reis et al., 2014). strategies available to teachers of 2e
According to the National Center for students, but here we present those that
Education Statistics, an estimated 3,189,000 can be most immediately implemented in
American school-age students were teachers’ classrooms. After a brief
enrolled in programs for gifted students explanation of each strategy, examples of
during the 2011-2012 academic year specific classroom applications of these
(Snyder, de Brey, & Dillow, 2016). It is ideas will be shared. See Table 1 for an
estimated that between 180,000 (Davis & overview of the application of these
Rimm, 2003) and 360,000 (National strategies.
Education Association, 2006) of those Understand the difference between
students are identified as 2e. Barnard-Brak students who are 2e and those who are
et al., (2015) estimate that 9.1% of students gifted underachievers without disabilities.
with identified disabilities may be When 2e students are not achieving to
academically advanced or gifted. Because expectations, they may be misidentified as
these students display significant strengths gifted underachievers. They may present
and varied challenges simultaneously, it can some of the same behaviors and outcomes
be difficult to see how they fit the as 2e students, such as an inability to stay
characteristics of being gifted or having a organized or unexplained differences
disability. Existing research on these between test scores and classroom
students has indicated difficulties in performance. However, the underlying
identification of 2e students due to a lack of causes are different and the interventions
uniform evaluation practices (e.g., and approaches, therefore, must be
Wormald, Rogers, & Vialle, 2015), teachers’ different as well (Reis & Ruban, 2005). A
expectations of students based on disability comprehensive evaluation is necessary to
label (e.g., Missett, Azano, Callahan, & determine whether a student is
Landrum, 2016), and general lack of underachieving or has a comorbid disability.
knowledge of effective practices to engage A multidimensional approach to identifying
these students (e.g., Winebrenner, 2003). twice-exceptionality should include
Reis et al. (2014) reported in a number of psychometric assessments, behavioral
studies that teachers were reluctant to checklists, portfolio reviews, and interviews
provide appropriately challenging (Reis et al., 2014). A combination of formal
opportunities for students because of their and informal measures is useful in
dual diagnoses. Students who are twice- determining if a student is a 2e student or a
exceptional are often served according to gifted student who is underachieving.
their first diagnosis; be it a gifted diagnosis
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Table 1
Strategies to Support 2e Students in Educational Settings
Strategy Application in educational settings

Emphasize the strengths of 2e students first Provide opportunities for student choice;
allow the student multiple ways to respond
to new content

Address the needs of 2e students Explicitly link new content to previous

learning; teach organizational skills

Support the social-emotional needs of 2e Allow additional time for task completion to
students alleviate anxiety; help 2e students develop
self-advocacy; teach stress management
techniques

Recognize the difference between 2e After assessment data and other evidence is
students and gifted underachievers gathered, consider if the student is 2e or a
gifted underachiever; provide the
appropriate support(s) including counseling
support, learning support, and/or gifted
support

Collaborate and communicate to provide Invite gifted support personnel and disability
optimal support of 2e students support personnel to plan meetings; create a
balance of activities that will offer both
challenge and remediation

Sources: (King, 2005; Willard-Holt, Weber, Morrison, & Horgan, 2013)

Contrasted with the characteristics of control, perfectionism, lack of goal-

listed in Table 2, one characteristic more directed behavior, poor coping skills, poor
commonly associated with under- self-regulation, and heightened defense
achievement is a dependent style of mechanisms (Peterson, 2006). Some of the
learning in which the student prefers that aforementioned characteristics are also
the teacher provide the information in a associated characteristics of students with
structured lecture-like format. Other disabilities. Because these characteristics
characteristics include alienation, can present themselves in both
withdrawal, distrust, pessimism, anxiety, underachieving gifted students and 2e
impulsivity, inattention, hyperactivity, students, it is critical that professional
distractibility, aggression, hostility, educators take a multidimensional
resentment, passive-aggression, social approach to determine if there is the
immaturity, fear of failure, negative presence of a disability or not. Students
attitudes toward school, antisocial presenting these traits and characteristics
attitudes, fear of success, an external locus
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will benefit from working with school goals, can have problematic influences on
counselors and other trained personnel. their academic achievement (e.g., Lovecky,
Provide instruction that capitalizes 2004).
on the student’s strengths first. It may One way that educators can
seem counterintuitive to address the capitalize on the strengths of 2e students in
strengths of 2e students before their needs. their classrooms is to teach the way that
Don’t be mistaken – it is important to students learn (Winebrenner, 2003). If, for
balance our attention to the strengths and example, a 2e student learns best when
needs of 2e students so that their individual permitted to restate the new content,
education needs are appropriately met. teachers can provide multiple opportunities
Considering the strengths and interests of for student response. In actuality, students
the student before addressing their areas learn best when content is represented in
for remediation is a concept that has been multiple ways (UDL Center, 2014), and
strongly supported in 2e research (e.g. King, teachers are encouraged to identify how
2005). Many researchers argue that talent they can implement this practice on a
development is the most crucial component regular basis in their classrooms.
of the education of 2e students (e.g. Reis et Another way that educators can
al., 2014). focus on the strengths of 2e students is to
Identifying the specific strengths on set a fair level of challenge for the student.
which to capitalize can be a difficult task in When 2e students are provided
itself. Baldwin, Omdal, and Pereles (2015) opportunities to problem-solve and use
have identified several questions that their creativity, they are more open to
educators can consider when trying to participate in challenging curriculum (Baum
identify the specific strengths of a student. & Owen, 2004). For example, some 2e
Such considerations include the areas in students with a disability in the area of
which the student excels, the topics in writing and gifts and talents in the area of
which the student demonstrates advanced creativity may be able to create work
knowledge, and how the student uses their products that go beyond traditional paper-
strengths to mitigate their areas of need. and-pencil approaches; perhaps these
Families, assessments, checklists, and students may best show what they’ve
interviews can also support educators in learned by creating original video content
determining the specific strengths of 2e or a photo essay.
students. When 2e students’ strengths are Provide instruction that addresses
emphasized in their educational the needs of 2e students second. Educators
experiences, they have a more positive and families cannot forget to address the
outlook on their difficulties (Wang & needs of 2e students. Targeting the needs
Niehart, 2015). Wang and Niehart found of 2e students should be the secondary
that by addressing the strengths of 2e focus of educators; when educators
students, their academic self-concept prioritize the targeting of needs, 2e
increased. This is an important finding as students can develop feelings of frustration
many psychological studies have noted that (Baum & Owen, 2004). When educators
the negative psychological traits of 2e place less emphasis on the disabilities of 2e
students, such as frustration confronting students, those students demonstrate a
weaknesses and difficulty setting realistic greater willingness to attempt difficult
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tasks, while also becoming more creatively are learning needs or social-emotional
productive (Baum & Olenchak, 2002). It is needs in order to best address them.
not uncommon that the needs of 2e Because of the inherent variety of disability
students are masked by their obvious characteristics, it can be challenging to
strengths and gifts in other areas. Experts summarize the needs of 2e students. Table
recommend that problem-solving teams 2 identifies some of the more common
such as student support teams, needs of 2e students based on their
multidisciplinary teams, and child study disability.
teams identify if the needs of 2e students

Table 2
Characteristics of Some 2e Students According to Disability
Twice-exceptionality Description of the Learner

Specific learning disability Forgetfulness, difficulty with memory tasks,

delayed reading skills, difficulty organizing
their written or spoken ideas, delayed
mathematical skills, discrepancy between
verbal and written communication

Emotional and behavioral disability Easily frustrates, focuses on their limitations,

poor self-concept

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Difficulty focusing, disorganization, difficulty

maintaining attention during less preferred
tasks

Autism spectrum disorders Intense focus in preferred subjects, difficulty

making and maintaining friendships,
uncooperative behavior

Educators need to find balance informed instruction to students (e.g.,

between identifying and addressing each “Today we are learning about how to
need of these students and simultaneously calculate the area of a rectangle. This
avoiding unnecessary or inappropriate relates to last week’s topic of determining
labeling. A number of effective practices the number of square units in your
have been recommended in the 2e geoboard shapes; last week we counted
literature as evidence-based interventions square units to find the area. This week we
to support students’ needs. Winebrenner will explore the algorithm for calculating
(2003) suggests that teachers explicitly link area”), they are assisting students in making
new content to previous learning. One links to their prior knowledge. Teachers can
challenge for students with a comorbid also help 2e students link new content to
learning disability is the ability to relate new previous content by having students
and old content. When teachers provide brainstorm what they know about a new
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topic, complete an advance organizer about academic self-concept, and executive

the topic, or engage in a full class functioning deficits due to the significant
completion of a Know-Wonder-Learn (KWL) discrepancies between their strengths and
chart. weaknesses (Reis et al., 2014). Educators
Another challenge for some 2e can support the social-emotional needs of
students is their ability to stay organized 2e students by acknowledging their
(Baldwin et al., 2015). Teachers can provide exceptional abilities while simultaneously
a structure that promotes organization in providing appropriate accommodations,
their classrooms. For example, the use of therapeutic interventions, and specialized
color-coding materials can assist 2e instruction. These may include evidence-
students in locating and storing their based interventions to develop social skills
subject-specific belongings in and out of the and executive functioning, counseling and
classroom. Providing students with a therapeutic supports, and accommodations
structure for class note-taking can support that include alternative ways to learn
their organization of new content (Boyle, material and demonstrate understanding
2010). Organizational skills are important (Baldwin et al., 2015; Winebrenner, 2003).
for making progress on long-term projects Students with twice-exceptionalities
and assignments, and these skills may need need a nurturing and safe classroom
to be explicitly taught to 2e students. environment that supports the
Although one recommendation for development of their potential (Reis, et al.,
instructing 2e students includes project- 2014). Researchers (e.g. Baldwin et al.,
based and inquiry-based approaches 2015; Reis & Ruban, 2005; Winebranner,
(Baldwin et al., 2015), 2e students with 2003) have identified numerous features
organizational difficulties will need and strategies teachers can incorporate into
assistance structuring their time and their classrooms to cultivate a supportive
establishing short-term deadlines (Nielsen, environment for 2e students. Teachers can
2002). Teachers can provide an overview of work to create a calm and predictable
the assignment and establish short-term environment in which individual differences
goals and checkpoints to optimize student are acknowledged and valued.
success (Winebrenner, 2003). Instructionally, teachers can encourage
Support the social-emotional needs students to develop their potential by
of 2e students. Gifted students tend to providing appropriately challenging
experience greater asynchronicity in their activities, by aligning assessment with
social-emotional development than their student strengths and weaknesses, and by
neurotypical age-peers. This gap is even incorporating multiple modalities and
more pronounced in 2e students. flexible learning groups. When teachers
Traditional academic interventions that are define excellence in terms of individual
effective in supporting remedial students student progress and model the use of
can be counterproductive for 2e students. compensation strategies, the social-
These students are well aware of their emotional needs of 2e students are
strengths and difficulties; it is not supported.
uncommon for them to feel inadequate One specific activity to help develop
(Baldwin et al., 2015). These students may a nurturing classroom environment for 2e
display elevated levels of anxiety, poor students is through the identification of
THE JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION APPRENTICESHIP, 7(2)

banished or dead words (Ferguson, 2015). Collaboration in planning and

Although some may think that words instruction for 2e students should be
synonymous with intelligent have a positive prioritized in schools (Coleman & Gallagher,
connotation, Schroeder-Davis (1999) found 2015). The problem-solving team for 2e
that gifted and talented adolescent students should not only include the
students who were labeled by their peer learning support teacher who provides
groups (e.g. brainiac, nerd, bookworm) remediation, but also the designated
experienced a loss of popularity, provider of gifted services. These two
exploitation, and incredibly high professionals should work together to
expectations. Similar labels may be assigned provide a balanced program that addresses
by peers in terms of one’s disability status the student’s disability while also providing
(e.g. dumb, stupid, idiot) which can cause the appropriate level of challenge and
students to experience low popularity and opportunity in the areas of giftedness
low expectations of their capabilities. (Baldwin, Baum, Pereles & Hughes, 2015).
Words that are not acceptable to use in the Although we strive to address strengths
classroom, but are often used as synonyms before needs as recommended in the
for gifted, are written on small pieces of research, aiming for a balanced approach
paper and posted on a bulletin board. calls for many hands. Table 3 lists some
Teachers can use a jail cell theme to convey common considerations for various
that the banished words have been put stakeholders that may serve as the
away or incorporate a tombstone to foundation for deep and relevant
illustrate a cemetery effect for dead words collaboration and planning.
(Ferguson, 2015). Students can reflect on Schools and families can collaborate
these terms and their impact on each other in a number of ways to meet the needs of
to promote self-understanding. 2e students. Families often have insights to
Require ongoing communication share on their child’s strengths, likes and
and collaboration between special dislikes, creativity, motivation, and
education teachers, gifted specialists, and attention. They can provide important clues
families. Currently, gifted students are not about their child’s passions that can be
considered under the same umbrella of capitalized upon in determining the most
federal laws that mandate special education appropriate programming options for their
rights and services. Instead, they are child. We suggest that families and schools
supported to various degrees through a collaborate as frequently as necessary. In
patchwork of state and local laws (Zirkel, some cases, check-ins may occur weekly, bi-
2016). Therefore, it is not only essential weekly, or monthly as face-to-face
that 2e stakeholders are familiar with these meetings, phone conferences, or virtual
requirements, but that they also make web conference meetings. The use of a
significant effort towards effective communication journal that travels
collaborations through the lens of the between school and home can also increase
student’s individualized education program the ongoing collaboration between families
(IEP). and the various educators providing
services.
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Table 3
Stakeholders’ Considerations for Effective Collaboration of Twice-Exceptional Students
Stakeholder Sample Considerations

Gifted teacher Are the student’s strengths being maximized?

Is the student bored?
How can learning better incorporate higher level thinking skills?

Special education Are the student’s needs sufficiently supported?

teacher Are IEP goals appropriate and relevant?
Are accommodations appropriate and utilized?

General education Is the general education classroom the appropriate learning

teacher environment for the student?
Is differentiated instruction an appropriate strategy?
How does the student socialize with classmates?

Family/guardian How can the family nurture the student’s social and emotional
development beyond the school day?
Are there any current family events that may impact learning?
Do you feel that the other stakeholders view you as a valued and
respected team member?

Final Thoughts teachers can teach to 2e students to help

The concept of twice-exceptionality mitigate feelings of anxiety, withdrawal, or
can be a challenge for schools, families, and negative attitudes towards school (Baldwin
the students themselves. However, we have et al., 2015). Collaboration can help
outlined several considerations to ensure classroom teachers decipher between 2e
that the needs of 2e students are met in the students and gifted underachievers. The
school environment. When teachers needs of 2e students can be best supported
acknowledge the strengths of the student when special educators, gifted support
before addressing their areas of need, there personnel, and families exercise
is a higher likelihood of success for the collaboration (Coleman & Gallagher, 2015).
student (King, 2005). If teachers provide Considering a collaborative approach to
access to challenging content in multiple meeting the unique needs and strengths of
ways, 2e students may be more engaged each 2e student can maximize their
(Baum & Owen, 2004). Additionally, opportunities for success in the school
acknowledging that 2e students have environment.
unique social-emotional needs and finding
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