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Understanding the Twice-Exceptional Student in the K–12 Classroom: A Practical Guide for School Practitioners

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Key takeaways for school practitioners:

  • Twice-exceptional (2E) students are among the most underidentified and underserved populations in schools.1
  • There are an estimated 360,000 2E students, which is 2–5% of gifted children.1
  • About 1 in 9 students (10.8%) in gifted programs could potentially be considered “twice exceptional,” meaning approximately 17–18% more students with IEPs should be identified for a gifted program.1

What is twice exceptional (2E)?

A twice-exceptional (2E) student is an intellectually gifted child who also has one or more learning or neurodevelopmental challenges, such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).2 They are among the most under-identified and underserved populations in schools because of a misperception of their talents, with their conditions often masking one another.

“These are students who may be identified as gifted in IQ, but when it comes to communication or social relationships, they also may meet the criteria under autism or ADHD or other overlapping conditions,” explains Kathleen Woodward, a nationally certified school psychologist and clinical manager for Pearson. “So, they could be a very intelligent child who also has trouble sitting still or has pronounced sensory issues.”

How prevalent is 2E in U.S. schools?

The difficulties of a 2E student are often hidden by “masking,” which can complicate identification. Estimates put the number of 2E students at around 360,000, or about 2–5% of gifted children. However, it’s likely that far more students could potentially qualify for this designation; one study states that about one in nine students in gifted programs should be considered twice exceptional, which means approximately 17–18% more students with disabilities should have been identified for a gifted program but were not.1

As Woodward points out, the unique needs of this student population raise questions about special education qualification. If a student is excelling academically, they can be less likely to be referred for special education and, therefore, may not get the support they need.

“They may have a learning disability and still be earning straight As, yet they’re not reaching their full potential,” Woodward says. “It’s a question we present to districts: Are we providing the best possible education to every student, or just an adequate one?”

What are the key traits of a student who is twice exceptional?

Students who are twice exceptional can be hard to identify, which makes it challenging to know when and how to support their needs. Their traits often resemble those of other conditions, and schools may not recognize the giftedness aspect of their condition, or vice versa. For example, they may demonstrate complex understandings of concepts but not be able to organize them in a paper. Most 2E students exhibit notable peaks and valleys in their cognitive test profile.

While each 2E student will display an individualized and varied set of symptoms, some common ones often emerge. 2,3,4

Typically, they’ll have outstanding critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as a strong sense of curiosity. They may show deep concentration in their areas of interest, along with heightened sensitivities that can cause them to react more intensely to sounds, tastes and smells — traits also present in conditions like ASD, which can lead to challenges with social skills.

2E students may struggle in a structured school environment due to a lack of executive functioning skills. Additionally, they are prone to behavioral issues that may be linked to underlying stress, boredom and lack of motivation. For instance, a student with high cognitive ability may appear to be unfocused when, in reality, they would benefit from more challenging material.

As a result of these traits, they may experience feelings of failure, which can lead to low self-esteem, often linked to perfectionism.

How can educators create a classroom that supports 2E students?

The best way to support students who are twice exceptional is to be alert to the possibility and presence of co-occurring conditions so individuals can be identified and connected with appropriate support programs.

The needs of 2E students often overlap with those of students with ASD and ADHD, such as sensory sensitivities or focus challenges, so many of the accommodations that help those children can be effective.1,5 Some specific school-based supports to try include:

  •  Developing and implementing individualized programs based on their interests and talents, considering project-based and experiential learning.
  • Utilizing a strengths-based approach that considers the whole child.
  • Collaborating with other professionals in gifted education, special education or counseling for a holistic perspective and collaborative intervention plan.
  • Coaching in executive functioning skills, such as how to use a planner, break down large assignments into smaller tasks, etc.
  • Maintaining a patient approach that gives them time to process their thoughts.
  • Celebrating successes and focusing on positive reinforcement.

What resources can help support 2E students?

Wondering how you can better support 2E students? Resources for students with other neurodivergent conditions will be helpful, but here are some that are specific to the 2E student:

  • 2Enews, which provides readers with high-level information and perspectives about twice-exceptional education and cognitive diversity. 
  • The Davidson Institute’s Educators Guild, a free online community for educators committed to meeting the unique needs of highly gifted students, including those who are twice exceptional.

Schools may employ a variety of tools to determine which students need what type of support. For example, tools like the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children | Fifth Edition (WISC-V) can help identify gifted students by measuring cognitive ability, while academic achievement assessments like the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test—Fourth Edition (WIAT-4) can help identify students with learning disabilities by measuring listening, speaking, reading, writing, and math skills. A deeper assessment approach that considers student strengths and struggles supports better “twice exceptional” identification and intervention planning.

“The world really is not built for neurodiverse people right now, and as professionals, we have a responsibility to help change that, and advocacy is central to our role,” says Rebecca Whalen, M.A., CCC-SLP, a speech language pathologist and Pearson assessment consultant. “As we normalize differences and focus on helping students thrive within their environments, we shift from fixing children to really empowering them.”

The Pearson Digital Assessment Library offers unlimited access to numerous assessments in an intuitive digital format, which can be particularly useful for 2E students who may need multiple assessments. For more information on helping twice exceptional students achieve their full potential, visit Pearson’s Neurodiversity Resource Center.

Sources:

  1. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/10/1048
  2. https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/twice-exceptional-definition-characteristics-identification/
  3. https://childmind.org/article/twice-exceptional-kids-both-gifted-and-challenged/
  4. https://giftedcertificationclass.weebly.com/uploads/4/2/2/0/4220848/operational_definition_of_twice-exceptional_learners_implications_and_applications.pdf
  5. https://sethperler.com/child-2e-twice-exceptional-ultimate-guide/