Twice Exceptional Student (aka 2E): What it is & How it Impacts Handwriting

What is a Twice Exceptional Student (aka 2E)?

Twice exceptional is a frequently unknown or misunderstood "label" in the educational world. Labels do not have to be negative, and can actually give us valuable information for understanding our child and how best to support them.

Let's explore what exactly twice exceptional means, common struggles, and how to help!

Twice exceptional students are individuals who typically have a higher IQ or areas of giftedness plus a learning or developmental challenge, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or Autism. They often experience above average performance in specific areas (ex: math, art, music) but then struggle in other academic areas (ex: reading, writing). Though twice exceptional is not formally defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is crucial to understand a child with this profile.

It can be challenging to identify 2E students for a few reasons. One, highly intelligent students often "mask" their struggles therefore making learning disabilities not as apparent. Likewise, their learning disability can "mask" the individual's true ability. Both situations can lead to performance inaccuracies and lots of frustration which can come out as "acting out" or other behavioral concerns.

A thorough psychological evaluation of twice exceptional students is critical to explore and dig deep into a child's learning profile and interpret patterns and irregularities with overall and specific skills being measured. Similarly, assessments looking at performance and skills for programming and remediation purposes is essential in bridging the gap from diagnosis to intervention.

The 2E Impact on Writing

Students who are twice exceptional often struggle at some point with the writing process, whether the struggles lie in the physical mechanics of writing by hand or the cognitive processing of written composition. These students have SO much to say and share on many topics, yet that blank piece of paper staring at them can be overwhelming.

Handwriting may be a challenge for the twice exceptional learner for a variety of reasons. They may struggle with letter formation, orientation, line placement, or spacing due to under-developed visual or fine motor skills. If attention was a challenge, the 2E student may have missed foundational learning in the early years to build up these handwriting skills. Finally, the cognitive load of writing by hand (balancing the physical act of writing with the written expression and output) may be so overwhelming for the twice exceptional learner due to simultaneous physical and cognitive tasks.

3 Ways to Help a Twice Exceptional Student

Collaboration between Parents and Educators

Parents, educators, tutors, and therapists can collaborate to best support the 2E student. A collaborative team approach is best practice in all scenarios. The team can focus on the students' strengths, leveraging their giftedness to ease the burden during more challenging tasks. For example, if a student excels in visual spatial skills, we can incorporate visual supports during writing as cues to aid in line placement, sizing, and spacing.

Individualized Support and Remediation

Personalized support is also vital for the twice exceptional learner to meet their potential and bridge the gap between their giftedness and performance. Quality, science-backed remediation programs for reading and writing can make all the difference for these students, reducing frustrations and building their confidence. At Handwriting Solutions, we implement individualized assessments and intervention to understand each student's learning profile and target exactly where they need support.

Advocacy for Accommodations, Support, Understanding

Finally, advocacy is one of the most important aspects in helping your 2E learner. Most school systems do not understand a twice-exceptional learner, typically looking at the global performance and surface level abilities. However, as parents we MUST advocate for the accommodations, supports, and understanding of our twice exceptional children so they can reach their potential in academics and not be limited due to antiquated systems.

If you have or suspect your child is a twice exceptional student, reach out to us for a free 15-min consultation to see if they are a good fit for our programming!