Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT is a weekly chat on Twitter that takes place on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT in the U.S. For one hour, parents, educators, advocates and experts in the field of gifted and talented gather to share resources, links, authentic life experiences and insights about gifted issues.
I’m Lisa Conrad ~ an advocate for gifted children; state, national & international conference presenter; blogger and mother of 2 gifted adults. I live with my husband near Pittsburgh, PA #gtchat
Carol Raymond participating in my first #gtchat from the DFW area. GT advocate, educator, parent of 2E, educational diagnostician and college counselor
Carol Raymond participating in my first #gtchat from the DFW area. GT advocate, educator, parent of 2E, educational diagnostician and college counselor
A1 I don’t think 2e should be defined in educational terms any more than giftedness should be. It’s wiring, & it’ll be there regardless of the educational setup. There’ll be 2e people after a zombie apocalypse. ;) #gtchat
A1 Twice exceptional (2E) is someone who is both gifted and has one or more disabilities. They are exceptional because of their strengths and their limitations. My Twice Exceptional - 2E page https://t.co/C4jjGgwAhW#gtchat
A1) Twice-exceptionality definitions fall within parameters set (often locally) for each exceptionality. Giftedness criteria sometimes more "squishy" than eligibility for a 504 plan or IEP. #gtchat
A1 Twice exceptional (2E) is someone who is both gifted and has one or more disabilities. They are exceptional because of their strengths and their limitations. My Twice Exceptional - 2E page https://t.co/C4jjGgwAhW#gtchat
I like to define 2e as highly gifted students with learning challenges (usually more than one) that can be social, emotional, or intellectual. A challenge that inhibits optimal learning.
It will be there regardless of the educational setup - but for needs to be met through services provided by a school system, a definition is necessary. #gtchat
True! I’d like to see ONE DEFINITION used across the board, & then see services actually provided. For both aspects of 2e, not just the deficits. #gtchat
A1) Within the same child can reside high intellectual ability and mental health challenges. We label them twice exceptional. Either may mask the other. #gtchat
A1) “Twice-exceptional (2e) individuals evidence exceptional ability and disability which results in a unique set of circumstances.” (K. Dickson in The Inconvenient Student, p. 20) #gtchat
A)2 Teachers should be looking for a number of things: flashes of brillaince, high intenisties, evidence of creative thinking and problem solving, discrepancy data on formalized assessments, inconsistent performance...to name just a few. #gtchat
A2) Asynchronous development will make assessment more challenging; all avenues should be pursued because there may be multiple disability/abilities. #gtchat
A2: Also- our lives could have been much different if the district had not said passing one class with an A meant no accommodations were needed. Ugly battle for 4 years. #gtchat
A2) Things that don't add up: high test scores but poor classroom performance; complex ideas shared verbally but not in writing; drastically uneven performance across subjects/academic areas...time to collaborate and ask questions. #gtchat
In addition, I have yet to meet a 2e child that is exactly similar to another...all present unique profiles and thus require unique accommodations...however, there are patterns that can be detected (as mentioned previously) by the astute teacher #gtchat
A2) Some evidence that presence of a disability label affects teachers' referral of students for gifted programs (Bianco 2005; Barnard-Brak et al 2015) #gtchat
Not really related to a question, but— as a reg ed HS ELA teacher, I wish PD gave more attention to executive function’s role in the classroom. So overlooked. #gtchat
In hiring staff I always look for empathy first; an understanding of what it is to be a 2e student. Basic strategies include flexible teaching, teaching to strengths first to assist in remediating areas of weakness, sensory awareness, use of depth, breadth, and complexity #gtchat
A3) Don't exclude a 2e student from consideration for an intervention or strategy known to be successful, due only to presence of a second exceptionality (e.g., acceleration) #gtchat
A3- More asking, less assuming. Teaching the child the skills they need rather than giving accountability in the name of teaching responsibility. #gtchat
A4) I think a change in attitude can help. Don’t immediately assume the student is lazy or so dysfunctional they aren’t worth the work to be reached. #gtchat
Yes - and "a school cannot consider the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures when determining how the impairment impacts the major life activities under consideration" https://t.co/RPHeDSTlvF#gtchat
Another issue is fatigue...I see 2e kids continually code switching in the classroom moving from the familiar to the unkown. We need to give our 2e kids a break #gtchat
Another issue is fatigue...I see 2e kids continually code switching in the classroom moving from the familiar to the unkown. We need to give our 2e kids a break #gtchat
Adults need to understand the differences between misbehavior and brain function. In most cases, when a 2e child is acting out, the issue is a function of limbic delay or the limbic system being overwhelmed. At that point the child needs to reset in a safe environment #gtchat
Adults need to understand the differences between misbehavior and brain function. In most cases, when a 2e child is acting out, the issue is a function of limbic delay or the limbic system being overwhelmed. At that point the child needs to reset in a safe environment #gtchat
In addition, due to limbic delay, skills such as exec. functioning, language development, emotional regulation are not present 'in the moment'. Adults need to work on building these skills in 2e kids rather than punishing them for 'overreacting' #gtchat
A5- My 2 verbally gifted children can express they “get it” but one will usually lose the written work & the other struggles to actually write it. The strengths cast a shadow over the deficit, thus they are misunderstood. #gtchat
A4) Try to show kids that 2E's don't mean harm - their brains work differently. This increased understanding and sensitivity can help with social interactions. #gtchat
A5) Neither gifted nor 2E students are homogenous groups - many diffs. area and degree of giftedness, type of difficulties physical, mental health, social/emotional, learning diffs etc #gtchat
A4) Try to show kids that 2E's don't mean harm - their brains work differently. This increased understanding and sensitivity can help with social interactions. #gtchat
A5) Every kid is different. Take my 4. One looks average but is frustrated and bored. Two have complex thoughts and read at highly advanced levels and cannot write a paragraph. One hardly read (dyslexia). One NEEDS math manipulatives and is then way above grade level. #gtchat
A4) Try to show kids that 2E's don't mean harm - their brains work differently. This increased understanding and sensitivity can help with social interactions. #gtchat
A6: There is a big difference. Underachievement is a psychological disorder that needs to be addressed by professionals while non-production (fairly common with g/t kids is a conscious decision not to due the work for a host of reasons: boring, busy work, low level... #gtchat
If a student can articulate why he/she will not due the work, that would be non-production whereas a underachiever will not be able to explain the issue. #gtchat
Our next chat will be the last chat of the year on Thursday Dec 21st at 8E/7C/6M/5P US Friday 21st Dec at 2PM NZDT/Noon AEDT/1 AM UK. Our topic will be “Challenging Myths about Gifted Children.” #gtchat
That’s a wrap! Thank you all for participating. Your thoughts, comments & eagerness to help each other are inspiring! Hope you’ll join us next week. #gtchat
