The First Duty of Love Is to Listen
An account of a mother whose gifted son struggled in kindergarten because school failed to meet his needs. After noticing changes in his drawings and behavior, she homeschooled him and advocates for recognizing giftedness and twice-exceptionalities, urging parents and clinicians to listen, assess placement, and support children’s learning needs.
Tips on Identifying 2E Students
Psychologist Rose Blackett outlines strategies for identifying twice-exceptional (2E) students, advising oral assessment, scribes, extended time, non-verbal screening like Raven’s Matrices, and attention to short-answer performance. She urges educators to recognize hidden disabilities that mask giftedness and to adapt assessments accordingly.
Practice Opportunities with Gifted Children and their Families
Gifted children often display behaviors—intensity, sensitivity, perfectionism, underachievement—that can be mistaken for disorders. Lack of clinician training leads to misdiagnosis, especially in twice-exceptional youth. Psychologists need education, and organizations like SENG provide resources, training, and public awareness to reduce misdiagnosis and support families.