Critical Conversations: The Role of Social Workers in Identifying and Supporting Twice Exceptional Children

Overview: This workshop will focus on identifying and supporting twice exceptional students, with an emphasis placed on the barriers and inequities that exist for Black and Hispanic twice exceptional children. Resources will be provided to attendees to integrate into their social work courses as a mechanism to increase social workers’ knowledge.Proposal text: School social workers are positioned to address educational inequities and systemic oppression within school systems. Despite the breadth and depth of training social workers receive to obtain a Master of Social Work, there are gaps in knowledge that social workers have when entering practice. Specifically, there is a gap in the social work literature focusing on how social workers can help to identify and support the needs of gifted and twice exceptional children. This is a critical gap in the knowledge base of social workers, specifically school social workers, as twice exceptional children are often mislabeled, overidentified for their disability, and under identified for their exceptional intellect. Additionally, research that highlights the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic children in gifted education (Payne, 2011). This holds particularly true for twice exceptional Black and Hispanic children.

Triple identity theory focuses on the intersectionality of being Black, gifted, and having a disability (Robinson, 2016). While definitions of “gifted” vary, the National Association of Gifted Children defines a gifted person “as someone who shows, or has potential for showing, an exceptional level of performance in their general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creative thinking, leadership ability, and/or visual or performing arts.” In addition to being gifted, twice exceptional children also have a disability. These disabilities include, but are not limited to, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dysgraphia, anxiety, sensory processing differences, or other learning disabilities. Twice exceptional children are at risk for not achieving their potential because of the relationship between their enhanced cognitive abilities and their disabilities (National Educational Association, 2006). Robinson’s triple identity theory highlights the role of race for twice exceptional children. Black and Hispanic children are 50% less likely to be identified as gifted compared to their white peers (Davis, 2010). Such a disparity highlights the deep inequities that continue to exist in school systems across the United States. For many twice exceptional children, their disability masks their giftedness. This may result in children underperforming, acting out in class (leading to disciplinary action), school dropout, or an increased risk in mental health needs (Postma, 2017). This holds particularly true for Black and Hispanic students as they are less likely to be identified as being gifted, more likely to experience inequity and racism, and more likely to face disciplinary action within schools (Lawson Davis, 2010; Lamb et al., 2019). By expanding school social workers knowledge base, they are poised to better identify and support twice exceptional children, particularly children of color. When twice exceptional students are identified and supported their educational and life trajectory can be transformed.

This workshop will provide an in-depth discussion of how to identify and support twice exceptional students. Additionally, research focusing on inequities and the under identification of Black and Hispanic students will be provided. Case studies highlighting the lived experiences of Black and Hispanic twice exceptional students will be used to lead an interactive discussion. Attendees will also be provided with tangible materials and resources to integrate workshop concepts into their classes.