“Not all gifted/2e children are the same. Their abilities may differ from other gifted kids. They may be lousy at math, but years ahead in reading. Or, they may be incredibly talented in math, but after years of not being challenged in school, they may have poor work habits and may have lost their innate love of learning. Their advanced potential may lie in non-academic areas, or areas that schools don’t always measure well, like pattern-spotting, social and leadership skills, emotional precociousness, or the arts.”
 
The term twice exceptional, often abbreviated as 2e, entered educators’ lexicons in mid 1990s and refers to gifted students who have some form of disability. These students are considered exceptional both because of their giftedness (e.g., intellectual, creative, perceptual, motor etc.) and because of their special needs (e.g., specific learning disability, neurodevelopmental disability etc.).

A 2e child is one who, along with being considered gifted in comparison to same-age peers, is formally diagnosed with one or more disabilities. Although 2e can refer to any general disability, it is often used to refer to students with learning disabilities, although research is not limited to these areas, and a more holistic view of 2e can help move the field forward.

The disabilities are varied: Autism, Dyslexia, Visual or Auditory Processing Disorder, Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Tourette syndrome, or any other disability interfering with the student’s ability to learn effectively in a traditional environment.

In addition to understanding the unique profile and needs of students who are 2e, parents need strategies to engage students with learning. I compiled the following information and I share it freely, I try to give credit to my sources, but please keep in mind it is meant for psycho-education only.