Lesson 8: Putting It Altogether for the Twice-Exceptional Student

Collaboration describes how teachers work together, not what they do. (Friend & Bursuck, 2002)

Key elements for general education, gifted and special education teachers working together:

• • Shared goal:  success of 2e student both academically and emotionally

  • Partnership that evolves over time

  • Process not product

  • Team that supports one another to:

  • • develop appropriate instructional plans

    • differentiate instruction

At the beginning of the school year:

• • Meet with all stakeholders involved with student both previously and currently to:

    • Review program goals set for the student

    • Emphasize that both exceptionalities must be addressed

  • Share the need for a collaborative process with principal to gain their support.

  • Meet with student and guardians to learn about their personal goals/expectations.  Explain how collaborative process works.

Collaborative Partnerships among Teachers of 2e Students.  Kennedy, Higgins and Pierce. 2005

Support the Classroom Teacher:

• Learn about classroom structure, teaching styles, expectations

• Provide suggestions to expand curriculum for students

• Find appropriate materials

• Work together to design and develop a differentiated curriculum

• Provide support for modifications

• Develop a schedule for collaborative planning

• Collaborate on creation, implementation

• Partner in evaluation of process using data gained from:

• Direct observation in classrooms

• Interviews of teachers, students and guardians

• Samples of student work (process and product)

• Create a Student Profile:

•  Create a Learning Profile 

• • Put together a learning profile for the student with detailed notes on how they learn, both their weaknesses and their strengths, and update these as more information comes in from assessments. 

  • The Student Study Form suggests data that will be helpful to best serve the student.

Adapted from “Supporting Twice Exceptional Students in the Classroom” by Amanda Drury, July, 2017