July 2, 2021
Ann Arbor Resources and Programming for Parents of Gifted and Twice Exceptional Children
By: Allura Malcolm, M.A., Suzi Naguib Psy.D.
Blog Contents:
– What is giftedness?
– What is twice exceptionality?
– FAQs: Twice Exceptionality
– Ann Arbor Resources for Gifted and Twice Exceptional Children
– Support for Parents of Gifted and Twice Exceptional Children
What is giftedness?
Giftedness can be displayed in a number of ways in children. In general, a child is considered gifted if they display significantly above average ability in one or more of the following domains: intelligence, creativity, art, leadership, or a specific academic area (i.e., math, language arts, science). Gifted children are often highly sensitive, quick to learn new things, display a strong memory, and engage in abstract/complex thinking beyond their developmental age.
However, it is important to remember that giftedness can come with its own unique set of social-emotional challenges. For example, gifted children may engage in any number of the following challenging behaviors: impatience (with self and others), preoccupation with their own thoughts and interests, and/or refusal to do something in the way they are asked to do so. Gifted children may also act out at school due to boredom and/or frustration, especially if there is a lack of access to advanced and/or challenging coursework.
What is twice exceptionality?
Twice exceptional (sometimes referred to as 2e) is a term used to describe individuals that are both gifted and have a disability.
Some examples of twice exceptionality include:
– Intellectually gifted + autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
– Musically gifted + a specific learning disability (SLD)
– Artistically gifted + attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
– Mathematically gifted + emotional impairment (EI)
In children who are twice exceptional, it is possible for both 1) the disability portion of their twice exceptionality to be masked by their giftedness or 2) the giftedness portion of their twice exceptionality to be masked by their disability.
FAQs: Twice Exceptionality
I suspect that my child is twice exceptional- how can I find out?
A full psychodiagnostic or neuropsychological evaluation is recommended to determine whether an individual is twice-exceptional.
Can a twice exceptional student still receive special education services?
Yes! A child can be evaluated and receive special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan if the disability portion of their twice exceptionality is adversely impacting their educational performance in school.
Does a twice exceptional student have to forfeit special education services to participate in gifted/accelerated programming?
Absolutely not! This would constitute a denial of an individual’s right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
Ann Arbor Resources for Children who are Gifted/Twice Exceptional
School Resources
If your child is enrolled in public school and you are interested in academic acceleration (i.e., advancing grade levels in one or more subject areas) for your child, the Guidance for Academic Acceleration Pamphlet is a great resource to guide you through the process. In addition to academic acceleration, Ann Arbor Public Schools and other school districts in the area offer opportunities for dual enrollment in community college/university coursework. Ann Arbor Public Schools also offers Project Lead the Way, which offers biomedical and engineering path programming to students from 6th to 12th grade.
There are also some private school options with gifted programming in the area, including Emerson School (kindergarten-8th grade) and Summers-Knoll School (preschool-8th grade).
Community and University Resources
Michigan State University offers summer and academic gifted programming through the MSU Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. Though not giftedness-specific, the University of Michigan Youth Hub offers a wide range of youth programming that could be applicable to gifted students. For example, Youth Hub programs are offered in the areas of computer science, health science, music, architecture, and engineering. Youth Hub programs are offered both during the summer and year-round.
Support for Parents of Gifted Children
There are some great resources that lend support to parents of children who are gifted. For example, the National Association for Gifted Children website has an excellent parent resources page. There are also many books and articles available. Some options include:
– Communicating Effectively with Your Gifted Child’s School by Dr. Joan Franklin Smutny
– Being Smart About Gifted Children: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators by Dona J. Mathews, Ph.D. & Joanne F. Foster, Ed.D.
Sources:
http://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/what-giftedness
https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/2e.index.htm