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WHO ARE THE TWICE EXCEPTIONAL? WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?SUSAN BAUM, PH.D. BRIDGES ACADEMY , DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Schoolhouse or

Schoolhouse or

Lesson Learning

Lesson Learning

Giftedness

Giftedness

Creative/

Creative/Productive

Productive Giftedness

Giftedness

WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS?WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS?

Above Average Ability

Task Commitment

Creativity

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CI

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“…we believe gifted behaviors take place in certain people (not all people), at certain times (not all the time), and under certain circumstances (not all circumstances).”

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model J.S. Renzulli & Sally M. Reis

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A

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+The Stages of Talent Development

latent

manifestemergent

Diagnosing Jefferson, (Norm Ledgin)

Awkward gateSocially ineptUneasy with eye

contactDiscomfort with

emotionalityObsession with

recording financial transactions

+Gifted Students with Aspergers SyndromeClassic manifestations:

Knowledgeable in topics of interest, narrow focused

Quantitative impairment in social interaction,

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities,

Stereotyped or repetitive motor mannerisms,

Need for structure and predictable routine

+Gifted students with ADD/ADHD

Classic manifestations: Creative thinkers Difficulty sustaining attention especially in

listening activities Difficulty completing written work, Physical restlessness or feelings of

restlessness Impulsivity Difficulty following through on instructions

from others (not due to oppositional behavior or failure of comprehension)

+Gifted students with Learning Disabilitiesssic manifestations:Auditory and/or visual processing

problems, Limited working memory, problems

following multi-step directionsDyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia,Disorganized, Sensory-motor integration difficulties, Poor handwriting and spelling, Difficulty putting ideas in writing, taking

notes, and taking timed tests.

+Gifted students with Non -Verbal Learning DisabilitiesClassic manifestations:

Difficulty with nonverbal messages,

Difficulty with executive functioning (organization, planning),

Problems in math are common, especially in the areas of computation, word problems, and abstract applications.

Concept formation and abstract reasoning may be significantly impaired.

+Gifted Students Psychological or Social Emotional DisordersExamples include ODD, OCD, Bi-Polar,

social anxiety, generalized anxiety, emotional fragility

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Case Study of Blaine

Official Diagnosis in Grade Four nine-year-old boy being seen for neurological

examination as part of a comprehensive child study team evaluation. Information provided by mother and observations in the office setting indicates that difficulties displayed by Blaine have a multi factorial basis, including:

1.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; 2.Mild Oppositional Defiant Disorder3.Generalized Anxiety Disorder; and 4.Mild unevenness in skill development.

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Recommendations

1. Ongoing individual counseling & family therapy

2. Ritalin and Clonadine

3. Social skills intervention to facilitate development of appropriate skills

4. Consistent behavior management at home and in school

5. No OT or PT

6. Return to regular school in cooperation with special services

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Blaine’s WISC III Profile Verbal 142Performance 119Full Scale 134Verbal Comprehension 150 Perceptual Organization 124Freedom from Distraction 98 Processing Speed 109

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Blaine’s WISC III Profile Information: 19Picture completion 14Similarities: 19 Coding 8Arithmetic 10 Mazes 8Vocabulary: 19 Block Design 18Comprehension19 Object assembly 9Digit span: 9 Symbol Search 15

+WISC IV

Verbal Comprehension

Perceptual Reasoning

Working Memory

Processing Speed

Full Scale

+ Profile of “2E” Students

 

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

• Knowledgeable, talented in specific areas, in- depth interests•· Low academic self-efficacy •· Creativity used for survival  •· Disruptive behavior to hide disability• Poor self regulation  • Depression and anxiety• Social issues

+Identification of “2E” Students

 

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

Giftedness: • Behavior may mask gift• Test scores may be misleading• Fail to meet traditional guidelines for giftednessSpecial Needs• Grade level performance• Overcompensation• Unwilling to accept dual exceptionality

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Strategies

•Become knowledgeable about how characteristics of giftedness affect and interact with learning, behavior and attention.

•Keep careful records of the kinds of support the student needs to complete homework, stay on task, and memorize information.

•Make sure professionals on the team evaluating the youngster are also knowledgeable about the issues facing twice exceptional students.

•Persist until the appropriate diagnoses are made. Assure that the team uses information that details when the student is at his personal best as well as those times when she is struggling.

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

+Identification of “2E” students at Bridges Academy Currently students are deemed gifted for the purposes

of the Bridges Academy program in one of 3 ways:

1) If they have already been identified as gifted through the achievement of a Full scale IQ score above 130.

Because twice-exceptional students often have one or more low sub-scores that depress full-scale scores and mask gifts, we look for signs of cognitive strengths using index or sub-test analysis.

+Identification of 2 E: Bridges Academy

2) A significant difference between or among indices with the student scores in the superior range in VCI o PRI (120+) and the scores in WMI or PSI fall within the average range (90-119).

3) Their IQ falls within the average range but attains scores in at least three subtest scores (from VCI or PRI) 12 or above.

Once superior cognitive abilities are identified, we look for further evidence of gifted behavior-- exceptional interests, passion, and creativity in one or more academic area or discipline

+BEHAVIORAL TRAITS Students have been found to have one or more of

the following traits which at times are mistaken for manifestations of learning differences.

Advanced vocabulary Advanced interests and passions in specific areas Ability to grasp new ideas and concepts easily High energy Risk taking Curiosity Argumentative, cynical Indifferent to common conventions and courtesies May not participate in class activities

+ Dabrowski’s “Overexcitabilities”•Psychomotor

•Intellectual

•Emotional

•Sensual

•Imaginational

TALENT CENTERED MODEL FOR TWICE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

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+Twenty –five years of research

•Learning disabled students with superior cognitive ability: A validation study•West Hartford Enrichment Program for Gifted Learning Disabled Students•State grants on GLD and the effect of talent development on achievement: Project Rescue, North Haven, Cheshire•Project High Hopes, Javits Grant•Prince Georges County, MD.•Garrett County Public Schools\•Bridges Academy•Numerous case studies

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

+How do we meet their needs?(Developing the IEP)

• Talent development• A supportive physical environment• Challenging curriculum• Differentiated instruction and

accommodations.• Targeted remediation and support

services• Social & emotional support

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

+Dual differentiation??

Talent Development

Challenging Curriculum

Physical Environment

Differentiated Instruction

Social & Emotional Support

Targeted Remediation

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

+ Why Talent Development?

• Provides pathway to success

• Develops self regulation and awareness

of how to be successful• Emotional release• Basis for socialization• Develops identity and positive sense of

self• Opportunity to see students at their

personal best.

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

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BRIDGES ACADEMY:A CLOSE-UP VIEW

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BRIDGES ACADEMY

Student

CV: Evolving social and emotional

profile

CV: Learning

Differences

CV: Family context

CV: Learning disabilities

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CV: Gifts,

talents, and

interests

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Enriched curriculum units

Talent Development opportunities (TDO): Master Writers, Science Research, History Research, Art

Talent alignment through choice

Outside TDOs: Mock Trial, summer and evening courses, special classes

Grade/course acceleration

Student-initiated Type III projects: independent projects with real-world audience and impact

GIFTS, TALENTS and INTERESTS

n Enrichment Triad Model

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BRIDGES.Regular

Classroo

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TYPE I*GENERAL

EXPLORATORY ACTIVITIES

TYPE IIGROUP

TRAINING ACTIVITIES

TYPE IIIINDIVIDUAL & SMALL

GROUP INVESTIGATIONS OF REAL PROBLEMS

Environment

in General

TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE PROCESSES(The "Type II Matrix" JSR: 2001)

I. Cognitive Thinking Skills K-3 4-8 9-12

A. Creative Thinking Skills

B. Creative Problem-Solving & Decision-Making

C. Critical and Logical Thinking

II. Character Development and AffectiveProcess Skills

K-3 4-8 9-12

A. Character Development

B. Interpersonal Skills

C. Intrapersonal Skills

III. Learning How-To Learn Skills K-3 4-8 9-12

A. Listening, Observing, and Perceiving

B. Reading, Notetaking, and Outlining

C. Interviewing and Surveying

D. Analyzing and Organizing Data

IV. Using Advanced Research Skills &Reference Materials

K-3 4-8 9-12

A. Preparing for Research and InvestigativeProjects

B. Library and Electronic Reference

C. Finding and Using Community Resources

V. Written, Oral, and VisualCommunication Skills

K-3 4-8 9-12

A. Written Communication Skills

B. Oral Communication Skills

C. Visual Communication Skills

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•Winter session electives•Outdoor education

•Mentorships•History Day Competitions

•Music ensembles/ Jazz festival•Talent groups: art, writing, science, technology

•Mock trial….and growing possibilities

Talent Development Opportunitiesat Bridges

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Instructional strategies Small class size

Varied resources for accessing content, e.g. books on tape DVDs, speakers, field trips

Project and product choices

Physical environment, e.g., flexible seating and work space options,

Independent and group work

LEARNINGDIFFERENCES

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Instructional strategies Use of technology, e.g., laptops, calculators, Smart boards

Use of assistive technology, e.g., audio texts, voice recognition software

Extended time for tests, homework assignments,

Use of scaffolding to support and nurture executive functioning

Study skills functioning skills embedded in the curriculum and taught through tutoring and homework support

LEARNINGDISABILITIES

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Is about …Main IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsMain IdeaDetailsSo what? What is important to understand about this?

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Socialization is enhanced through interests such as technology

Exposure to therapies (art, music, equine) connect students to emotions and awareness.

Team approach: in-house educational therapist and clinical psychologist support students through crises.

Using drama to nurture social skills and encourage the disposition of the performer.

Field trips, competitions, etc. provide authentic contexts for social behaviors.

EMERGING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

PROFILE

Talent development opportunities provide a positive approach for coping

+Social and Emotional Support

Prevalent Issues• Self Esteem

• Identity• Social Skills• Friendship

• Frustration and Overwhelm• Emotional Readiness to Learn

Bridges Academy

+ Support Services: A Team Approach

•Educational Therapists

•Psychologists

•Alternate therapies/ equine, art, music

•Speech and language

•Occupational therapist

•Social skills coaches

•Medical personnel

•Team meetingsSusan M. Baum, Ph.D.

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Orientation eventsCollaboration with outside therapists, doctors, tutors and Bridges staff to help parents support their children.

Breakfast With…Parent education workshop series

Ongoing communication Referrals for

family therapy

FAMILY CONTEXT

+ Edward Hallowell (2005)

I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of

strengths or the mere suggestion of a talent.

Knowing that a person builds a happy and successful life not on remediated

weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to place those strengths at the

top of what matters

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.

+FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN 2007 – 2008

TALENT AREAS OF INTEREST

sketching, sculpture, art, drama, writing

TALENT DEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES

Dramatic roles in class performances, intersession drama course, talent development in art class, design and create mural project of her original creations on wall of office, self-initiated writing project with peer

+ABILITY/ACADEMIC PROFILE

Strengths

Verbal analytic abilities

Perceptual reasoning abilities

Reading skills

Weaknesses

Working memory

Attentional skills

Expressive language skills

Pragmatic language skills

Math and writing skills

Executive functioning skills

+SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL Oppositional behaviors

Possible Triggers: not wanting to participate in class activities, feeling overwhelmed by writing tasks, difficulty sustaining attention during class, wanting to do work later with her educational therapist, being vulnerable to others knowing that she doesn’t know what to do.

Words to Say: I know you can do this with my support, provide encouragement for her cognitive and emotional resources

Actions to Take: Make agreements with her as to when it is appropriate for her to work/draw in class, provide cues for attention, provide explicit instruction and reinforcement.

Long Term Behavioral Goal(s): to develop awareness of social skills to establish and maintain relationships to engage in areas of high interest, creativity and motivation

+ REMEDIATION Goal: to improve writing skills Goal: to improve executive functioning skills

ACCOMMODATION/COMPENSATION Structure Keyboard Allow drawing in class during discussions Provide explicit instruction Break tasks into

manageable chunks Allow breaks Provide cues for organization Provide reinforcement

for behaviors

+EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS

Perceive, Initiation, Modulate, Gauge, Focus/Select, Sustain, Stop/Interrupt, Flexible/Shift, Inhibit, Hold, Manipulate, Organize, Foresee, Generate, Associate, Balance, Store, Retrieve, Pace, Time, Execute, Monitor, Correct (McCloskey, 2007)

Intrapersonal (Control in relation to the self)

Interpersonal (Control in relation to others)Environment (Control in relation to the natural and man-made environment)

+Support

IEP No Med.

Psychiatrist

Social Skills Group

Educational Therapist

+ Edward Hallowell (2005)

I have learned first and foremost to look for interests, talents, strengths, shades of

strengths or the mere suggestion of a talent.

Knowing that a person builds a happy and successful life not on remediated

weaknesses but on developed strengths, I have learned to place those strengths at the

top of what matters

Susan M. Baum, Ph.D.