Learning Opportunities

TARGET AUDIENCE: ALL K-12 TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

Twice and multi exceptional learners are defined as those students who both are gifted and have learning, medical, or social emotional learning differences or disabilities.  High ability and disabilities combine for these students, resulting in diminished or inconsistent demonstration of their potential.  As Sally Reis (2014) and others have noted, “Their gifts may mask their disabilities and their disabilities may mask their gifts."  Without support, these students seldom achieve at the high academic levels they are capable of, often experience emotional turmoil, and demonstrate inconsistent or asynchronous achievement. Learning environments that are both challenging and rich in instructional strategies and interventions are required for these unique learners.

This learning opportunity is designed to assist educators in creating learning environments that provide the structure and instructional design that twice and multi-exceptional students require in order to work towards their highest potential and best personal wellness.  This session has two parts, as follows:

Part 1 – Learning Together (September 26, 2017)

During this session, we will:

1. Address the characteristics of students who are twice or multi-exceptional.
2. Identify the social emotional needs of these learners, and learn strategies and interventions to support these learners emotionally and behaviourally.
3. Design strength based programming and intervention strategies that can be applied together to support these learners in the classroom.

Part 2 – Webinar Follow Up (October 12, 2017)

During this session, we will:

1. Review on-line resources to support programming for twice or multi exceptional learners.
2. Share experiences about implementing strength based and intervention strategies for twice or multi exceptional learners in our classrooms.
3. Collaboratively problem solve and future plan for continued work and new strategies.

This learning opportunity is being offered through curriculum implementation funding from Alberta Education.