overview on preparing teachers to understand twice-exceptional students



Twice-exceptional students are a sub-population of students that are unrecognized inside school systems. Generally, teachers and educators are unaware of the existence of this type of students in classrooms, and not familiar with the major characteristics of these students. The lack of awareness by many teachers in school system about twice-exceptional students makes this special population of students unidentified, unsupported, and unserved. The main purpose of this research is to provide overview for general education teachers, gifted education teachers, and special education teachers to understand twice-exceptional students better. These students often display behaviors and characteristics associated with both sides of giftedness and disabilities, which make them have different learning patterns. It is important for teachers to understand this special population of gifted students because these students have a right, like any other student, to receive an appropriate education. The meta-analysis method has been used in order to collect data and find information about educating twice-exceptional students in general education classrooms. This paper is addressing only the gifted with learning disabilities, but not a gifted student with other types of disabilities such as ADD, ADHD, Autism, Behavior Disorders, and Physical disabilities. The main aspects discussed in this paper are: characteristics, social and emotional needs, and teaching practices. The final aspect provides in depth information about the most important guidelines of programs, services, intervention, and instructional strategies. This paper provides the teachers with overall insight and needed information both of which are related to teaching twice-exceptional students within general education settings. (Published Abstract)