Erasure of Exceptionality - How Manitoba’s Twice-Exceptional Learners Lose Out

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Twice-exceptional (2e) students face elevated risk for social and emotional difficulties alongside disenfranchisement in schools. Their profiles blend giftedness with learning disabilities, social impairments, emotional and mental health concerns, or behavioral challenges. Effective support requires learning plans that address both their advanced needs and areas needing intervention. When giftedness is ignored, negative educational outcomes intensify. Manitoba lacks recognition of giftedness as a criterion for academic consideration, leaving 2e learners without assured appropriate support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Describing Twice-Exceptionality

Identifying Twice-Exceptional Learners

REFEREED ARTICLE Erasure of Exceptionality: How Manitoba’s Twice-Exceptional Learners Lose Out Jennifer Metelski Abstract Twice-exceptional (2e) students are a unique group at risk for social/emotional difficulties and disenfranchisement in schools. These students’ profiles combine giftedness with areas of struggle such as learning disabilities, social impairments, emotional and mental health issues, or behavioural problems. Supporting 2e students requires developing and delivering learning plans that address both their gifted needs and areas requiring support. When their giftedness goes unaddressed, 2e students are particularly susceptible to negative school outcomes. Currently, Manitoba does not recognize giftedness as a criterion for academic consideration; therefore, 2e students in the province are not assured appropriate educational support. A unique population of young people at special risk for social/emotional difficulties and underachievement at school are referred to as twice-exceptional (2e) learners (Reis et al. , 2014) . These students have profiles that combine superior ability in one or more areas and disabilities that may be areas of specific learning disabilities, behavioural or attention deficits, or social impairments. Educators frequently have little knowledge or understanding of 2e learners and are therefore limited in their ability to meet the unique needs of this group (Ronksley-Pavia et al. , 2018) . Many 2e learners become disenfranchised at school; the remedial instruction and intervention they receive fails to address their strengths, talents, and interests (Gierczyk & Hornby, 2021) . Negative school experiences have lifelong ramifications for these students: they continue to feel insecure, undervalued, and like they do not belong (Ronksley-Pavia et al. , 2018) . Unless Manitoba educators are aware of the existence of twice-exceptionality, and policy is written to recognize the needs of these students, 2e learners will continue to struggle in the province’s schools. This discussion posits that each of these problems has a solution, moving from individual teacher choices to broader professional development and legislative remedies. Describing Twice-Exceptionality The term twice-exceptional was coined to describe students who demonstrate superior ability in one or more areas, but who also have one or more disabilities; their performance fallson both ends of the learning spectrum (Neihart, 2018) . Much literature on 2e learners focuses on gifted individuals with specific learning disabilities. Other challenges, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, and behavioural and emotional disorders, are also included under the 2e umbrella (Baldwin et al. , 2015) . Understanding 2e students begins with identifying how their performance exceeds that of their age peers, how their disability is manifested, and how the characteristics of each part of their profile interact (Reis et al. , 2014) . The complex interplay between giftedness and disability means that these individuals require multifaceted plans combining seemingly contradictory interventions; discrete solutions intended to address giftedness or disability in isolation fail to address the wide range of 2e learners’ needs. Identifying Twice-Exceptional Learners Educators frequently are unaware of or unable to identify 2e learners. Their learning traits – whether advanced or remedial – may be missed for a variety of reasons (Baldwin et al. , 2015) . Some 2e learners achieve average grades because their superior talents and disabilities are counterbalanced in a manner that masks both high potential and areas of weakness (Neihart, 2018) . Due to strong compensatory strategies, their grades are unremarkable despite exhibiting learning patterns common to disabled children (Gilman et al. , 2013) . Students initially identified as gifted may not be assessed for learning disabilities be

FAQs

What does “twice-exceptional (2e)” mean in this article?

It refers to students who show superior ability in one or more areas while also having one or more disabilities, so performance falls across both ends of the learning spectrum.

Why can 2e learners become disenfranchised in school?

Because remedial instruction and interventions often fail to address their strengths, talents, and interests, and negative school experiences can leave them feeling insecure and undervalued.

How does Manitoba’s current approach affect 2e students?

Manitoba does not recognize giftedness as a criterion for academic consideration, so 2e students in the province are not assured appropriate educational support.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr