When one initially thinks of a gifted student, the term "nerd" comes to mind. The big glasses, suspenders, you know the type. But giftedness can be found in many different students, in many different ways. A student can be highly motivated, quick to learn, or they could event be adept at learning in their second language, a recent discovery of giftedness.
However, there is quickly forming a new "type" of giftedness: that when a student is both gifted and has a learning disability.
In the 1970's, researchers began to investigate gifted students with learning disabilities. Unfortunately, soon after this research began, it became clear that defining this category would prove quite difficult. School districts soon began to title students 'G/LD' without a clear definition. In addition, researchers in the field would publish smaller case studies of these students as opposed to larger samples.
Regardless, both groups suffer from disagreement over the identification process. Each category could have many different children in each, showing exceptional-ism in comparison to the "norm". That was an idea which I struggled with as I was reading the article: that of both spectra of children, those titled gifted and those identified to have a learning disability, to be 'exceptional'. I've only ever thought of the use of that word to mean a positive thing, not that the child struggles with learning in a certain way.
I work with highly motivated students in my current job as staff for programs which aim to cultivate their advancement of learning and to help them recognize their gifts. Frequently, I encounter students who potentially have learning disabilities and/or behavioral/psychological issues which interfere with their learning in our programs. These students are smart, and highly intelligent, but their own minds can hold them back at times.
Ultimately, I think that both groups/categories need extra support, and perhaps the educators who specialize in either discipline can substitute for each other once in a while to work with students who are exceptional in other ways. Both students with disabilities as well as gifted students deserve special education, as they are the critical populations.
Source:
The Identification and Performance of Gifted Students With Learning Disability Diagnoses
Journal of learning disabilities [0022-2194] Lovett yr:2013 vol:46 iss:4 pg:304 -316
However, there is quickly forming a new "type" of giftedness: that when a student is both gifted and has a learning disability.
In the 1970's, researchers began to investigate gifted students with learning disabilities. Unfortunately, soon after this research began, it became clear that defining this category would prove quite difficult. School districts soon began to title students 'G/LD' without a clear definition. In addition, researchers in the field would publish smaller case studies of these students as opposed to larger samples.
Regardless, both groups suffer from disagreement over the identification process. Each category could have many different children in each, showing exceptional-ism in comparison to the "norm". That was an idea which I struggled with as I was reading the article: that of both spectra of children, those titled gifted and those identified to have a learning disability, to be 'exceptional'. I've only ever thought of the use of that word to mean a positive thing, not that the child struggles with learning in a certain way.
I work with highly motivated students in my current job as staff for programs which aim to cultivate their advancement of learning and to help them recognize their gifts. Frequently, I encounter students who potentially have learning disabilities and/or behavioral/psychological issues which interfere with their learning in our programs. These students are smart, and highly intelligent, but their own minds can hold them back at times.
Ultimately, I think that both groups/categories need extra support, and perhaps the educators who specialize in either discipline can substitute for each other once in a while to work with students who are exceptional in other ways. Both students with disabilities as well as gifted students deserve special education, as they are the critical populations.
Source:
The Identification and Performance of Gifted Students With Learning Disability Diagnoses
Journal of learning disabilities [0022-2194] Lovett yr:2013 vol:46 iss:4 pg:304 -316