Observers of my son’s kindergarten class almost always said the same thing: “Why is the child who pays the least attention the one who knows all the answers?”

Because I work with parents of 2e kids, mentor 2e adults, train educators, and collaborate with mental health and education professionals, I benefit from a unique vantage point that includes many different perspectives on the relationship between educators…

ADHD AND GIFTEDNESS are sometimes described as having the same or similar characteristics. However, one diagnosis is considered a disability and one, a gift. Neither assumption is ideal in supporting the child identified with either ADHD, giftedness, or both, often referred to as twice exceptional or 2e. (Twice exceptional or 2e refers to a diagnosis of gifted with a learning disability or learning difference as the second exceptionality; in this article, 2e refers to ADHD as the second exceptionality).

This article was originally published in the Ohio ASCA Journal.

“Gifted & Distractible” is a term I use – casting the net widely to capture students who are both gifted and have a learning difference or disability. Commonly referred to as “Twice Exceptional,” “2e,” or “GT/LD,” these people (not just students or children since we never outgrow our ‘2e-ness’) have incredible strengths and potential but are often misunderstood, inappropriately disciplined, and taught incorrectly.