Can my child be gifted AND dyslexic?
Yes, approximately 2-5% of school aged children are intellectually gifted and dyslexic. This dual diagnosis is also referred to as twice exceptional and 2e. It is especially important for educators to look at the whole child and not just the numbers to determine a student’s unique learning needs. The International Dyslexia Association states that, ” many 2e students are misclassified, neglected, or receive inadequate intervention.” Twice exceptional students need parents and teachers to advocate for both disability and ability.
It can be a challenge for parents and even experienced teachers to identify giftedness and dyslexia because, “dyslexia may mask giftedness, and giftedness may mask dyslexia.”
Signs to Look For:
- Strong Oral Vocabulary
- Ability to elaborate on advanced ideas and draw conclusions
- Exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills
- Specific talent or consuming interest (Academic or Non-Academic)
- Sophisticated sense of humor or ability to connect with others at any age.
The ways schools assess giftedness is vastly different across districts. Many of them do not recognize non-academic talent and require high scores on standardized cognitive measures like the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children –IV (WISC-IV) or state achievement tests. Be aware that “some intelligence assessments can be limited in scope and may not tap broad and potential areas of giftedness.”
How Can I Help My Child Succeed?
“Unfortunately, research-based, well-defined, and prescribed practices for the 2e student with dyslexia are hard to find, and current practices vary widely.” That is why many parents opt for home-based options. Schools may offer reading programs, but the lack of individualization and challenge can leave students bored. If the student is being pulled out of their general education classroom to work on reading, they may miss critical content in other subject areas. This can lead to a dip in academic performance due to lack of exposure to new concepts.
Structured Literacy Therapy in a one-on-one environment best suits 2e students’ needs because the pacing and delivery can be adjusted to stimulate the development of their strengths.
Lexercise Structured Literacy Therapy offers solutions to even the most unique student because we cater to their learning styles. Lexercise therapists understand all aspects of dyslexia and coexisting factors so they can facilitate an explicit, systematic, and diagnostic intervention that is “just right” for the student. This specialized instruction leads to faster and more impactful results.
If you want to learn more, please visit any of the links below.
Request a Consultation:
https://www.lexercise.com/consultation?group=13&clinician=464Take the Free Dyslexia Screener :
https://www.lexercise.com/tests/dyslexia-test?group=13&clinician=464Dyslexia Treatment:
https://www.lexercise.com/online-dyslexia-treatment?group=13&clinician=4648 Weeks to Better Reading:
https://www.lexercise.com/blog/just-eight-weeks-better-readingCheck out the Gifted and Dyslexic Fact Sheet from the International Dyslexia Association for more information.
https://app.box.com/s/7b1pme4nshtqe2uh1cll9mv9bmbf4pxz