What is Twice Exceptional?
Every teen is exceptional, but have you ever heard of twice-exceptional teens? This term emerged in the 1990s and is frequently abbreviated to "2e". This often misunderstood classification refers to teens who are considered extraordinary because of their giftedness in a particular domain and because they display characteristics that fall within the spectrum of diagnostic criteria for disability. Their intellectual, creative, or perceptual genius is coupled with symptoms of ADHD, OCD, dyslexia, sensory processing disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. This combination can bring challenges as well as incredible satisfaction for both the teen and its caregivers.
Identifying Twice-Exceptionality
One of the defining characteristics of Twice-Exceptionality is its resistance to formal diagnosis. There is no clear-cut definition due to the enormous variance in their unique skill set and neurological condition. One thing that is seen frequently is the teen using their strengths to gloss over their struggles while they concurrently astound teachers with their talent and frustrate them with their inability to complete simple tasks. A significant gap between their physical and mental age and extreme sensitivity to their environment means that school can prove incredibly testing for twice-exceptional teens. Performance can be inconsistent, with these teens working twice as hard for seemingly half the results. They can be misunderstood as incredibly lazy yet stunningly bright.
The Duality of Twice Exceptionality
As previously mentioned, perhaps the only attribute that applies overall to twice-exceptionality is its contradiction. These teens can display a range of vocabulary unheard of for their age, incredibly forward-thinking opinions and ideas, as well as high levels of creativity and problem-solving ability. This can happen as they simultaneously display highly impulsive behaviors typical of teens several years younger, incapable of organizing their workload to complete tasks, and failing to create social bonds with their peers. The gift or specialized subject can be at times all-consuming, obsessing them to the point of being uninterested in anything else. Such characteristics challenge teachers and caregivers, and any teen displaying such behaviors should be referred to a support team for potential diagnosis.
Support & Diagnosis
Current thinking is that a neuropsychological evaluation is the best way to gain a 360 understanding of a student's academic, social, and cognitive abilities. With a complex understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, schools can create a specialized curriculum that allows students to excel at their own pace in their prime areas. At the same time, they receive additional support where they struggle. Combining multi-sensory engagement in intellectually stimulating activities with concurrent training in compensation strategies is essential, with focussed attention and praise on the student's gifts - positive reinforcement with appropriate interventions to ensure that the student’s academic and emotional needs are crucial.
The Take-Away
Twice-exceptional teens have a special and unique skill set to offer the world, and with the correct nurturing and care, they can become global leaders in their chosen fields. Having been given the proper tools to manage their struggles, they can use their strengths to change the world.
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