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Dually-Exceptional Students' Academic Struggles

The document discusses the issue of academic underachievement among dually-exceptional students, who are gifted students that also have disabilities such as learning disabilities or ADHD. It states that these students often disguise their giftedness to gain social acceptance, leading to poor academic performance. The document explores how the reactions of peers and teachers, as well as the students' desire to fit in, can cause them to undermine their own talents and abilities. It argues that identification of these students and support programs are needed to help nurture their gifts and meet their educational needs.

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Alla Skirda
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9 views3 pages

Dually-Exceptional Students' Academic Struggles

The document discusses the issue of academic underachievement among dually-exceptional students, who are gifted students that also have disabilities such as learning disabilities or ADHD. It states that these students often disguise their giftedness to gain social acceptance, leading to poor academic performance. The document explores how the reactions of peers and teachers, as well as the students' desire to fit in, can cause them to undermine their own talents and abilities. It argues that identification of these students and support programs are needed to help nurture their gifts and meet their educational needs.

Uploaded by

Alla Skirda
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ACADEMIC UNDERACHIEVEMENT AS A RESULT OF DISGUISING

GIFTEDNESS AMONG DUALLY-EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS

Studies of many prominent scientists reveal that the problem of giftedness is


central in terms of personal development, as the development of creative abilities
of an individual is the key to renewal, transformation and harmonious development
of the society as a whole. The issues of children's talent were already under study
in the early twentieth century, but the interest in this problem increased
significantly in the second half of the twentieth century and at the beginning of the
twenty-first century as well. J. Guilford, P. Torrens, G. Eisenk, H. Gardner, J.
Renzulli, S. Taylor, K. Heller, M. Grupeta and others tried to understand the
essence of talent and its nature.

Given the fact that human interests in culture, economic status and religious views
are shaped by our childhood and adult experiences, we cannot ignore the problem
of social interaction of dually-exceptional students, because it directly affects the
inhibition of their unique talents. and abilities, the development of which in adult
life can be a significant contribution to the development of the economy and
culture of the country. The aim of our research is to study the state of the problem
of academic performance of dually-exceptional students.

The term dually-exceptional students or “twice-exceptional,” is used to describe


gifted children who, have the characteristics of gifted students with the potential
for high achievement and give evidence of one or more disabilities as defined by
federal or state eligibility criteria. These disabilities may include specific learning
disabilities (SpLD), speech and language disorders, emotional/behavioral
disorders, physical disabilities, autism spectrum, or other impairments such as
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). All in all, we could say that a
gifted student may also have a special need or disability— just as students with
disabilities may also be gifted. 

Unusual abilities of dually-exceptional students, as a rule, cause a negative reaction


in their environment, ranging from mild ambivalence to outright hostility. Their
behavior, if it is not changed by social contact, may remain exceptional for the
norm of the dominant society, and therefore displaces them from society. In the
end, such an adjustment to their environment leads to the inhibition of the abilities
of dually-exceptional students, and underestimated success and achievements as
well. R. Subotnik claims that the talent of such individuals is lost, because the
creative abilities of dually-exceptional students are not nurtured, and also because
they are forced to disguise their talent in favor of social acceptance. M. Gross
states that when gifted students make a choice either in favor of achieving
acceptance in the environment or in favor of disguise, all this is the reason for their
lack of academic success. She also points out that this problem is not the
asynchrony of the gifted student, but the reaction of others to their inherent
differences. The reactions of their peers only further affect the lack of academic
performance of gifted students and hinder successful group interactions when a
gifted student tries to fit into his [Link] addition, H. Gardner points out
that dually-exceptional students are particularly vulnerable and prone to depression
and suicide, which is a direct result of their difficulties in interacting with society.
Negative emotions, especially those caused by isolation and rejection, loneliness
and abandonment of yourself and your talents and abilities can cause a variety of
threats to human health. These findings raise serious concerns about the social
interaction of the dually-exceptional students. According to many world-renowned
researchers, the easiest way to disguise your talent is through consistent academic
failure. Unfortunately, there is currently no universally agreed interpretation of
academic failure. In general, this type of underachievment is measured by the
difference between the results of the assessment of I.Q. of a dually-exceptional
student and the overall grade of the class, or the difference between their grades in
tests and class work. One can see that mostly there is a discrepancy between the
abilities of dually-exceptional students and their academic achievements.

Negative perceptions of gifted students with dual-exception are the result of a lack
of perception of the culture of this group. Talented and gifted students with special
needs or disabilities show an unusual sensitivity to the expectations of others, and
this sensitivity can cause great suffering. The loneliness felt by dually-exceptional
students is a direct consequence of deviating from their environment. Mostly,
dually-exceptional students, begin to exhibit adjustment behavior in order to
disguise their high intelligence and avoid conflicts with other students, and, as a
result, give up their giftedness. Such a refusal, in the end, greatly hinders them
from their success and academic achievement. By and large, dually-exceptional
students quietly suffer from being rejected by adults and peers. They hide their
symptoms of stress so that they will be able to adapt to their environment and stand
out among it as little as possible. They suffer from internal struggle as they try to
find their own identity and at the same time adapt to their environment. Therefore,
dually-exceptional students disguise their suffering to counteract their social
isolation. No matter how dually-exceptional students behave: they either try to
adapt to their environment by disguising their giftedness or distance themselves
from it; they always have one thing in common - they suffer from loneliness and
dissimilarity to the dominant society or group.

There are many accusations about the lack of academic performance of dually-
exceptional students. Some refer to teachers because they have low expectations
and are biased towards such students, believing that students with special needs are
unlikely to have high grades or achievements. Others blame parents of such
students who are not interested in the development of their children and do not
provide the appropriate environment that is necessary for the development of the
unique talents and abilities of their childen. Others put the blame on the
government for not spending enough money on developing dually-exceptional
students. One thing is clear – all of us must work together to achieve a common
goal.

The responsibility for the development of dually-exceptional students should be


shared between many sectors of society. Parents, teachers and authorities should
jointly nurture the problem of dually-exceptional students. The result of such joint
work will be updated programs of identification of the dually-exceptional students
and new policies to meet the educational needs of dually-exceptional students and
provide them with equal opportunities, which is the basis of any democratic
society.

Question:

What are the possible ways of solving the problem of academic


underachievement of dually-exceptional students?

First and foremost, that is though identification of dually-exceptional students,


which is to be done as soon as possible. That should become an obligatory element
of nurturing gifted students at any level of education. When a teacher gets a new
group of students, no matter what type of school it is (starting from a nursery
school and finishing with university), they have to watch their students for the
sighs of giftedness, paying particular attention to students with special needs or
disabilities. As such gifted students already see themselves as losers, so they will
tend not to try to achieve a high level of academic success. Since they are used to
choosing between academic achievement and acceptance in their environment.

Common questions

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Societal and environmental factors significantly affect the academic performance of dually-exceptional students primarily due to negative reactions and expectations from peers, teachers, and parents. These students often face ambivalence or hostility which prompts them to disguise their giftedness to fit in socially, leading to underachievement . A lack of supportive environments exacerbates feelings of isolation and depression, contributing to academic struggles . Teachers' low expectations and biases also play a role, as they often do not recognize the high potential of these students due to preconceived notions about disabilities .

A lack of identification and support for dually-exceptional students leads to their academic underachievement and failure to maximize their potential, as they struggle in educational systems that do not recognize their unique needs. This oversight contributes to their social isolation, mental health issues, and missed opportunities for contributing to society's cultural and economic development . Without targeted support, these students might internalize feelings of inadequacy and fail to develop their exceptional talents, which can result in a loss of valuable human capital .

The reactions of teachers and peers heavily influence the social interactions and academic performance of dually-exceptional students. If teachers exhibit low expectations and do not recognize the students' potential, it can lead to diminished efforts and reduced performance by the students . Similarly, peers who react negatively or exclude them contribute to feelings of isolation and stress, leading students to either disguise their abilities to fit in or withdraw, both of which hinder their academic achievements and social development .

Dually-exceptional students often choose to underperform academically as a mechanism to gain social acceptance and avoid conflict, given that their peers may react negatively to their exceptional abilities . This choice leads to a cycle of academic underachievement, reinforcing their internalized perception as failures, and depriving society of their potential contributions . The long-term consequence includes emotional distress such as depression due to not utilizing their talents fully .

The identity development of dually-exceptional students is heavily influenced by personal experiences and societal expectations. These students are acutely sensitive to the perceptions and expectations of others, which significantly affect their self-esteem and identity. Negative experiences of rejection and isolation lead them to disguise their abilities, causing internal conflicts and hindering the development of a secure and positive identity . Their constant adaptation efforts to conform to social norms detract from their self-acceptance and individuality .

Societal misconceptions about giftedness—viewing it as incompatible with disabilities—contribute to the challenges faced by dually-exceptional students by fueling biases and low expectations from educators and peers. These misconceptions lead to environments where students' needs are inadequately met and their abilities under-recognized. The disbelief in the coexistence of talent and disability results in limited educational accommodations and support, further isolating these students and hindering their academic success .

Social isolation plays a critical role in the academic underperformance of dually-exceptional students by exacerbating feelings of loneliness and reducing their motivation to excel academically. Isolation results from societal rejection and the inability to connect with peers who may not understand their dual exceptionalities. This social disconnection inhibits their willingness to embrace their talents and participate fully in academic settings, thereby perpetuating a cycle of underachievement .

Systemic changes recommended to better address the needs of dually-exceptional students include the development of comprehensive identification programs, professional development for educators to recognize dual exceptionalities, and implementation of individualized education plans (IEPs). These changes should be accompanied by policies promoting an inclusive environment and collaboration among parents, teachers, and policy-makers to ensure that educational systems are responsive to the unique challenges of these students .

Dually-exceptional students who consistently attempt to adapt by hiding their giftedness experience significant psychological effects, including stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. This internal conflict arises because they are unable to reconcile their identity with societal norms, leading to feelings of inadequacy and loneliness. Their constant efforts to conform can also impede their emotional and cognitive development, resulting in long-term negative psychological outcomes .

Educators can better support dually-exceptional students through early identification, personalized learning plans, and creating an inclusive classroom environment that celebrates diversity in abilities. Teachers should be trained to recognize signs of giftedness among students with disabilities and adapt their teaching methods to cater to varied learning needs. Building a supportive community that encourages both academic success and social acceptance is vital .

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