The idea that gifted children could also be learning disabled (and vice versa) is relatively new in the field of education. It was first introduced in the 1970s, with research into the subject building in the 1980s and 1990s. The term “twice exceptional” or “dual exceptional” was coined to describe kids who are both gifted and learning disabled/special needs.  In the 2000s, an ongoing survey of school districts in the United States conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that most school districts have no procedures in place for identifying or meeting the needs of twice exceptional (2e) children.

Here are some steps that can help identify your child’s 2e status:

The idea that gifted children could also be learning disabled (and vice versa) is relatively new in the field of education. It was first introduced in the 1970s, with research into the subject building in the 1980s and 1990s. The term “twice exceptional” or “dual exceptional” was coined to describe kids who are both gifted and learning disabled/special needs.  In the 2000s, an ongoing survey of school districts in the United States conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that most school districts have no procedures in place for identifying or meeting the needs of twice exceptional (2e) children.

Here are some steps that can help identify your child’s 2e status:

• Learn the signs that indicate twice exceptionality. - Identifying a child who is both gifted and LD can be challenging. The giftedness may hide the learning disability, while the learning disability masks the giftedness. Your child may come across as average, because her highs and lows cancel each other out. High creativity, grasp of abstract concepts, and understanding of advanced ideas combined with difficulties with basic memorization, computation, or simple writing skills may indicate that your kid is gifted/learning disabled.

  “Twice-exceptional students may use an extensive vocabulary when they speak, but much simpler words when they write. They might excel in reading comprehension, but refuse to do written work on the books they read. Their ideas are creative, but their written thoughts may be misspelled and penned with bad handwriting. They might grasp concepts easily, but be unable to do well on a timed test.” – Lisa Fine Goldstein, from the article “Diamond in the Rough” (from LDonline.org).
   

• Document evidence that demonstrates both my child's abilities and disabilities. - The way your child performs at home may be a better indicator of his giftedness than his school performance. Your child's teacher may see a bright kid who is underachieving, a class troublemaker, or even a child of average intelligence who is operating in the middle of the pack. You may need to document signs both of your child's giftedness-projects completed, a list of books she has read, musical compositions, or scientific exploration, and her difficulties-how long it takes to get homework done, evidence of tantrums and meltdowns, or a list of the help and support you provide daily to keep your child on track.
• Meet with my child's teacher to discuss my concerns. - Schedule an appointment with your child’s teacher or teachers to share your concerns and to find out what they are seeing in the classroom that may confirm your suspicions.

  Warning: The topic of your child’s twice exceptionality is not a subject for a drop-in chat. Contact your child’s teacher for a formal meeting when you will both have time to discuss your child’s academic issues in depth.
   

• Request formal evaluations for my child for both giftedness and learning disabilities. - Identification for giftedness or learning disabilities should not be mutually exclusive. Request a variety of evaluations and ask that someone experienced with twice exceptional kids interpret the test results. It is particularly important that subtests not be averaged together—it is the variation in test results that most clearly shows twice exceptionality. In addition to written tests, evaluations should include behavioral checklists completed by parents, teachers, and the student; portfolio reviews, and interviews.

  Tip: One school psychologist tests 2e kids at different times—for giftedness in the morning when the child is fresh and alert, and for learning disabilities in the afternoon, when the child is tired and his coping strategies may be weaker. (Source: “Twice Exceptional Children: Lost Treasures” by Linda Kreger Silverman.)
   

• Look for signs of twice exceptionality in my high school student. - Some 2e kids are not identified until middle or high school. This happens because in the elementary grades, it can be easier for a gifted kid to cover up a learning disability with a variety of coping strategies, but the higher level work and additional academic and emotional stresses of high school may cause your child to “hit a wall.” He can no longer compensate for his disability.

  Tip: A teen who comes across as lazy, bored, uncooperative, sullen, defiant, or a class clown may be gifted and learning disabled.