Critical Issues in Servicing Twice Exceptional Students: Socially, Emotionally, and Culturally Framing Learning Exceptionalities

This book addresses critical issues related to appropriately servicing gifted students with other learning exceptionalities, also known as twice exceptional (2e) students. Utilizing a social, emotional, and cultural lens, it extends beyond the historical cognitive discussion within the domains of special and gifted education and draws on a variety of interpreted perspectives, featuring leading authors, experts, and specialists from several countries and from different academic disciplines and backgrounds. The collection offers a balance between theoretical/methodological and empirical chapters to provide a discourse for operationalization and implementation of services that best serve the educational and individualized needs for a diverse group of students.

This work demonstrates the importance of knowing and attending to the social, emotional and cultural dimensions of 2e students while simultaneously fostering the appropriate cognitive skill development for whole-child well-being.

Fernanda Hellen Ribeiro Piske is founder and President of Institute C&S - Creativity & Giftedness for gifted students and 2e students, in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil.This institute aims to help regarding the identification and specialized service for gifted students and 2e students from pedagogical, psychological, neuropsychological and legal advice and guidance.

Dr. Piske, Ed.D. is a globally respected expert in Giftedness, Inclusive and Special Education. Her doctoral degree is in Cognition, Learning and Human Development from Federal University of Parana. She completed postgraduate studies in Special Education and Inclusive Education from the International University Centre - Uninter. As a researcher and well-established author in the field, Dr. Piske has 1st authored and/or edited many gifted and talent development books on topics including, but not limited to: Twice Exceptionality, Autism, Creativity, Social-Emotional Development, Affectivity, Bullying, Teacher Training, Complexity Theory and Human Rights, published in the United States, Portugal, Germany and Brazil.

As a visionary leader in the field, her published work is uniquely positioned as she effectively coordinates the collaborative research and writing efforts of experts from around the world from several countries. Dr. Piske has been giving lectures on Gifted Education and Twice Exceptionality at congresses and events. Dr. Piske has been currently working as a reputed educator in Giftedness at the Inclusion and Specialized Educational Service Department (DIAEE) of the Education Secretariat (SME) of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. In this position, she has taught courses and trained teachers in the area of Giftedness and twice exceptionality.Kristina Henry Collins, Ph.D., Ed.S. (UGA) is an Associate Professor of Talent Development at Texas State University and former Program Coordinator for a HS school-within-a-school gifted program. Boasting a 30-year career across K-20 in educational leadership, Dr. Collins’ scholarly pursuits include over 200 professionally conducted workshops, talks, and consults; over 100 manuscripts, curriculum models, and grants at various stages including 4 co-edited GT books on autism, 2e, bullying and underachievement; and recognition with over 35 educational honors/awards. Most recently, she was recognized with NAGC’s 2021 Early Leader Award and the Bridges 2021 ＂Person to Watch＂ for leadership and pioneering research related to thrice exceptional (3e) students and other special populations. Dr. Collins is the Immediate Past President for SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), the Associate Director for LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research, and serve on several other gifted and talented education boards/committees. She is the mother of two gifted-identified sons, one of which is 3e. Karen B. Arnstein is an assistant professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Houston-Downtown. She has worked with K-12 students for over a decade and holds a California K-8 multiple subject credential and gifted endorsement. Her research examined how parents, teachers, psychologists, and the educational environment impact the developmental transitions of preadolescent twice-exceptional (2e) students. Dr. Arnstein has presented across the United States and internationally on topics such as the nature and needs of twice-exceptional students, the masking effect, overexcitabilities, the parental experience of grieving, communication supports, and effective differentiation for twice-exceptional learners. Dr. Arnstein currently serves as Secretary and Research Committee co-chair for Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) in addition to serving as a Founding IRB Committee Member for Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education.