A case study of teachers’ understanding and practices with twice-exceptionality

Abstract

The Inclusive education, recently introduced in Kazakhstani education system has a goal to be pioneered by 30 percent of mainstream schools by 2020. Due to this reason many teachers, practitioners and researchers are in the dilemma over how to teach students with additional needs such as twice-exceptional students. The purpose of this qualitative research is to investigate, from the perspectives of various subject teachers, the educational experience of twice-exceptional students with cerebral palsy who are currently studying in a school for gifted and talented. This study was based on a case study method of qualitative research. The main participants of the study were twelve teachers with at least five years teaching in a school for gifted and talented who participated in semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and were observed during their teaching to triangulate the research results. Reviewing relevant empirical research literature and conducting qualitative research, the teachers’ awareness, beliefs and experience with gifted additional needs students such as twice–exceptional students and methods how twice-exceptional students are identified in the classroom were analyzed. Furthermore, the research explores the effects of labeling and non-labeling twice-exceptional students on the academic performance followed by examining the inclusive education techniques to accommodate twice-exceptional students. The results of the study revealed that twice exceptionality is a challenge in participating school. The case study research concluded that educational experience of twice-exceptional children is based on crucial factors such as teachers using a differentiated teaching approach as an inclusive strategy to accommodate the unique needs of gifted students with cerebral palsy.