Gifted students with learning disabilities: implications and strategies for school counselors

Professional School Counseling,  Oct, 2001  by Adriana G. McEachern,  Javier Bornot

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Advocacy

Advocacy for gifted students with learning disabilities can consist of several types of activities. One significant way counselors can advocate for these students is to communicate with other school personnel on problems and general issues regarding the needs of this population (Van Tassel-Baska, 1990). Counselors can also assist students by monitoring their progress through appropriate and successful school experiences (Parke, 1990). This oversight can involve ensuring that academic classes are consistent with students' career goals and encouraging students' participation in extracurricular school activities that enhance academic learning and development of social skills. Counselors can also set up tutorials in academic subjects for which students need assistance. Peer facilitators can act as tutors and buddies to these students (Myrick, 1997).

School counselors can inform parents about the process of evaluation and educational placement and encourage them to be active participants in the process. Through their team participation in child study teams, counselors can help influence others to ensure that gifted students with learning disabilities receive appropriate services (Van Tassel-Baska, 1990). Referrals to outside agencies or school specialists may be necessary; therefore, counselors should have a list and network of resources available to share as needed (Lombana, 1992).

Conclusions

Gifted students with learning disabilities are misdiagnosed, under served, and invisible in our schools. These students have special needs that require appropriate educational programs and curricula. They must be identified early and placed in specialized programs to enhance their giftedness, while remedying or compensating for their learning deficiencies. School counselors can be facilitators and collaborators to ensure that these students then have positive, successful academic, personal, and social experiences. Counselors are advocates and mediators among students, parents, teachers, and other school professionals. A multidimensional guidance and counseling approach that focuses on the strengths and interests of gifted students with learning disabilities is recommended to serve this special population.

References

Baum, S. (1988). An enrichment for gifted learning disabled students. Gifted Child Quarterly, 32, 226-231.

Baum, S. (1990). The gifted/learning disabled: A paradox for teachers. Education Digest, 8, 54-57.

Baum, S., & Owen, S. (1988). High ability/learning disabled students: How are they different? Gifted Child Quarterly, 32, 321-327.

Brody, L. E., & Mills, C. J. (1997). Gifted children with learning disabilities: A review of the issues. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 282-296.

Daniels, E R. (1983). Teaching the learning-disabled/gifted child. In L. H. Fox, L. Brody, and D. Tobin (Eds.). Learning-disabled/gifted children: Identification and programming (pp. 153-169). Baltimore, MD: University Park Press.

de Bettencourt, L. U. (1987). Strategy training: A need for clarification. Exceptional Children, 54, 24-30.