Twice-Exceptionality: Teachers' Awareness and Training and Their Effects on the Academic, Social and Emotional Outcomes of Students

The amount of research on twice-exceptionality has been gradually increasing over the past 30 years, however, dissemination of the information to the broader educational community has been slow (Bailey & Rose, 2011; Baum, 2004) leaving a significant need for an up-to-date understanding of teachers’ awareness and training about twice-exceptionality (Bailey & Rose, 2011; Baum, 2004; Brody & Mills, 1997). While twice-exceptional students may outwardly present as typical, they face unique challenges which include academic and social asynchrony, executive functioning deficits, academic achievement discrepancies, social communication challenges, and most importantly, parents who struggle to find a teacher who is aware and trained to meet the unique learning needs of their children. This study intended to examine teacher awareness and training about twice-exceptionality and their influence on the academic, social and emotional outcomes of students. The data was interpreted and analyzed through the perceptions and lived experiences of the parents of twice-exceptional children. The inclusion of parent perspectives in this study was critical, as their role as their child’s advocate is a vital aspect to the academic and social-emotional success of twice-exceptional students (Neumeister, Adams, Pierce, Cassady, & Dixon, 2007; Neumeister et al., 2013). The teacher survey for this study was used to collect data from teacher respondents regarding their awareness and training about twice-exceptionality. While the results demonstrated an emerging awareness of twice-exceptionality, the majority of respondents indicated that they had received no training about twice-exceptionality and were concerned as to methods to identify and address their unique learning needs in an increasingly diverse and heterogenous classroom setting. Parent participants acknowledged that they could not rely on most academic professionals for information and support. As a result, they had to become “experts” in twice-exceptionality advocating for their children’s educational needs providing the professionals with the information necessary to increase their child’s successful outcomes in school. The results of this study demonstrate the need for widespread training for teachers in gifted education, special education and how to identify and address the needs of students who have multiple exceptionalities