Math Methods Research Paper: Teaching Math to Twice Exceptional Students

Many teachers don’t know how to identify and let alone support twice exceptional

students because of their unique needs. Twice exceptional students are students who qualify for

both special education supports as well as being identified as gifted. Most people have an idea

about what a gifted student “looks” like and most of the time that doesn’t include having a

disability or learning difference But for many highly gifted students, they struggle socially and

even in another subject in school. As a future special educator and a lover of math I want to

know how to properly support twice exceptional students when teaching math. Whether math is

where the students' strengths are or it is where they struggle, twice exceptional students need a

math teacher who knows how to support and help them grow.

For students who have not been tested to receive special education services, they can

struggle being in the gifted classroom without additional support. Blustain explains, “their

intelligence masks their disability, so they are never assessed for special education or don’t

receive the services best suited for them”. As a society we have this idea that to be “smart” one

could never have a disability or struggle, but that’s just not true. For twice exceptional students

they may excel in math and science but when it comes to social skills and behavior regulation

they really struggle. Identifying these students early is so important for them to be able to get the

services they need for success. When students are looked over and unidentified they are, “At

greater risk for underachievement, At increased risk for developing social and emotional

problems and Regression in ability may be seen over time” (Ohio Department of Education).

Being able to identify and support twice exceptional students is the first process, but teachers

need to understand what it looks like to teach and include these students in the classroom.
 Twice exceptional students do not just need to be supported and included but they also

need to be challenged. Students who test for giftedness in a certain subject need to be given

opportunities to excel and explore. But learning how to balance challenging students and at the

same time support their disability can be tricky. Some teachers most of the time in secondary

think that if a student has the test scores to be in an accelerated course then they do not need

modifications or additional support. For some twice exceptional students academics are the easy

part, thye can ace any test they are given but they may struggle in social situations like group

projects or discussions. When students tested and proven to fall under the twice exceptional

umbrella they should be receiving both special education and gifted services. These specialized

teachers can assist with the general education teacher to give ideas on how to properly support

the student.

How can teachers support twice exceptional students who struggle in math? Identifying

where students are gifted as well as where they struggle is the first step in being able to fully

support the student. Teaching twice exceptional students who struggle in math is very similar to

how you would teach any other student struggling, but the teacher needs to be aware that just

because the student is struggling in math does not mean that they will or won’t struggle in

another subject. Start by assessing the student’s current ability and in what areas they need to

grow. Teachers can incorporate subjects of interest into lessons to help students stay engaged.

Teachers should also understand that the student may get frustrated easily. They excel in one

area but also struggling in another, that can be hard to wrap their head around. It’s also important

to foster social interactions for twice exceptional students. The “typical” twice exceptional

students struggle socializing with their peers. If the student is struggling with math having them

work with a peer who excels in math would be a great opportunity to help grow their math and
social skills. Another important skill to help students is compensation strategies, or tools that

students can use to assist themselves. For math teaching them short cuts or multiple ways to find

answers, this allows students to find ways that the math makes sense to them. I also think

teaching students who struggle with math how to use calculators. Yes, it is important to have

basic number sense but as students grow up and as adults they will always have access to

calculators and should understand the importance of the tool. Twice exceptional students can

struggle with organization, so having explicit instructions and organization of materials can help

students. Students' giftedness can sometimes be masked by their disability so it is important to

know how to properly support both the student's disability or area of struggle as well as where

they excel.

How can teachers support twice exceptional students who accelerate in math? When a

student is first identified as gifted in mathematics it is important for them to be given

opportunities to grow and be challenged. Teachers should first address the students strengths

before the area of need, to help build confidence. Also, incorporating areas of interest. When a

student is engaged and interested in the area being taught they are more willing to put in effort.

For many twice exceptional students they rush through their work because one, they already

know how to do it and two, they would rather be doing something else. So providing students

with specific tasks to be completed and keeping them engaged is really important. When the

students are comfortable with the teacher and in the classroom, they can start to be challenged

and pushed. If a student is gifted in mathematics, the teacher should be challenging them to solve

problems in multiple ways, having them explain their thinking and doing problems with extra

more detailed steps. These gifted students should not just be given extra problems to solve, they

obviously already understand the content and they should be challenged to broaden their
thinking. Teachers should also link new content to past content to show students how their

knowledge relates and present a growth mindset. Presenting students opportunities to share and

engage in discussions, helps students process and understand new content. Twice exceptional

students should be challenged like any other gifted student and teachers should have great

expectations for them to reach towards.

As a future special educator, teaching twice exceptional students excites me. I have met

and worked with students whose disability has masked their giftedness and they have not been

included and challenged in the general education classroom. Through the research I’ve done, I

have learned that it takes many parties to help support these students but is not impossible. I also

think that as a society we have to take a step back and realize that being gifted does not look the

same for everyone. And that having a disability does not mean that you shouldn’t be pushed

academically and have lower expectations. Twice exceptional students are some of the most

unique and intelligent people I have ever met. I have learned that providing twice exceptional

students with social, emotional and behavioral learning is really important. Many of these

students can excel in the classroom with little to no struggle but when it comes to expressing

their emotions or having a conversation they struggle. In order for these students to succeed, they

need to be supported not only in their area of giftedness but in every aspect of life. More

specifically, when it comes to math I think teachers can struggle on how to meet these students'

needs. Students who are gifted in mathematics should not just be given more problems to solve,

they should be challenged to think out of the box and learn conceptual thinking. And for the

students who struggle with math should also be supported by providing them with necessary

tools and multiple ways of instruction. Students should be engaged and their interests

incorporated into their learning. Twice exceptional students need the support from their teachers
and community to fully express their giftedness as well as get support for their disability or area

of struggle.

Resources

https://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/documents/packets/twiceexceptional.pdf

http://www.davidsongifted.org/search-database/entry/a10655
https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/2015/02/identifying-twice-exceptional-children

https://nrcgt.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/953/2015/05/spring98.pdf

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1185416.pdf

https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Other-Resources/Gifted-Education/Teaching-
Gifted-Students-in-Ohio/Presentations-on-Gifted-Children/Twice-Exceptional-2016.pdf.aspx

https://hechingerreport.org/twice-exceptional-doubly-disadvantaged-how-schools-struggle-to-
serve-gifted-students-with-disabilities/