Underachievement in Gifted and Talented Students With Special Needs

Talented students underachieve for many reasons and in many different circumstances. Unfortunately, there is no panacea for how to reverse underachievement in students whose talents are demonstrated in diverse ways. High-potential students with special needs are likely to experience underachievement as efforts to address their needs may focus more on remediation of difficulties and less on development of strength and talent. It is crucial for educators to differentiate between issues related to academic motivation and special needs related to students’ disabilities that may be unrecognized by many classroom teachers. This article reviews research about twice-exceptional talented students who underachieve and provides general suggestions for addressing their academic talents and needs.