Kozol (2010) argues that inequitable educational settings impact student academic achievement. Wardle (2013) agrees as he touches on many themes regarding disproportional learning environments and achievement for students who may be at-risk, including those from dual language and/or low income households. Considering the sociohistorical challenges that students must overcome to be successful, what are some of the challenges associated with school and learning for twice exceptional learners?
Assignment: Paper
I. Content
- Define and describe what it means to be a twice-exceptional learner. Give three examples of possible diagnosis for those who are identified as twice-exceptional (e.g., a student having both ADD/HD and a specific learning disability). This should be approximately one page.
- Discuss some of the general challenges related to learning and school life that twice-exceptional students may experience that are otherwise atypical in those without exceptionalities. This should be approximately two pages.
- Include general information on work ethic, strengths, academic, and social challenges.
- How might those strengths and challenges be specific to the students in the examples you included in your description?
- Analyze what the research says about twice-exceptional learners. This should be two to three pages. Include the following points.
- The relationship between their achievement and school funding (low socioeconomic vs. mid-high socioeconomic school environments).
- Are twice exceptional students more or less likely to be successful on high-stakes tests? Why?
- How might their high or low scores impact educational funding for their school?
- Outcomes of high-stakes tests, factors that contribute to outcomes, and the impact of these factors on achievement.
- Reflect upon what you gleaned from the research and/or from your own experience regarding the current levels of support for twice-exceptional learners. Discuss any efforts teachers can make to positively impact twice-exceptional learners as well as why it is important to do so.
II. Resources: Include a minimum of three scholarly sources including, but not limited to:
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- The course text.
- At least one recent article on funding and student achievement. *You may use the following article, also found in the recommended resources: Neymotin, F. (2010). The relationship between school funding and student achievement in Kansas public schools. Journal of Education Finance, 36(1), 88-108. Retrieved from http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/12442/publisher%27s%20PDf.pdf?sequence=1
- At least one recent article on testing and student achievement. *You may use the following article, also found in the recommended resources: Nichols, S. L., Glass, G. V., & Berliner, D. C. (2005). High-stakes testing and student achievement problems for the No Child Left Behind Act. National Education Policy Center. Retrieved from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/high-stakes-testing-and-student-achievement-problems-no-child-leftbehind-act
III. Formatting requirements
Your document should be four to seven pages in length, excluding title and reference pages, and should follow APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center including:
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- An introduction with thesis statement.
- Definition/Description of Twice-Exceptional.
- Strengths & Challenges.
- Relationship between achievement and funding.
- Relationship between testing outcomes and achievement.
- Reflection & Recommendations (levels of support, teacher efforts).
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
