Giftedness and LD: twice exceptional and still struggling

Common Attributes * Excellent long-term memory, extensive vocabulary, and an ability to grasp abstract concepts * Thrives on complexity * Highly creative, imaginative, inventive, perceptive, and insightful * Able to solve very difficult puzzles or problems * Keen observer * Somehow manages not to fail academic subjects * Appreciated as a "great thinker" * Able to cope well with standard classroom expectations, especially if she has a good understanding of her disability and a repertoire of compensatory strategies * Parents and educators often view his underachievement as a sign of disinterest, boredom, or just a lack of motivation * Much better able to shine outside of school, in clubs, hobbies, and so on, than in the classroom * Takes pride in the insights she bring to learning situations * Often is quite sensitive and aware of how actions can affect his life and the lives of others * Expresses concern about world issues and apprehension about the future * Good at covering up and compensating for areas of weakness (e.g., he often can get through tests and assignments without drawing attention to his struggles) Common Challenges * Poor short-term memory * Poor organizational skills * Illegible handwriting * Difficulty with rote memorization * Poor learning unless interested in the topic * Performs poorly on timed tests * Often struggles with homework * Notorious "underachiever" * Easily bogged down in the details that contribute to school success * Often not sufficiently challenged to advance in content-area learning due to administrative details or insufficient planning * Student may eventually believe his problems are due to poor effort * May try to conceal learning problems by acting lazy, disinterested, or unmotivated * Often attempts to jump straight from an idea to a finished product and bypass important steps in between (e.g., prefers to play an instrument by ear rather than actually reading musical notes) * Difficulty remembering short-term sequential information (e.g., forgets details of plays, signals, codes, or rules during sports) * Often just gives up or hides rather than ask for help or admit to a problem * Can become somewhat obnoxious in efforts to be sure others appreciate his intelligence * May become anxious or depressed by her difficulties or her insights into troubling issues or events * Can experience profound frustration by the inconsistency in his skills and abilities * Can be verbally combative when challenged Common Myths In surve