Teacher Collaboration in Supporting Students with Twice-Exceptionality to Transition to Secondary School

Abstract

This study explored teacher collaboration to support a particular cohort of students with twice-exceptionality (2E), specifically students with the concomitant of autism with intellectual giftedness (IG), to transition from primary to secondary school. Findings indicated a general lack of teacher collaboration regarding the sharing of student information between primary and secondary sectors. Teachers seemed to lack an understanding of 2E and did not collaborate with ‘knowledgeable others’ (learning support teachers and gifted education teachers) in the school to learn how best to support students’ transition. Moreover, teachers tended to take a deficit approach with a focus on student misbehaviour rather than on the transitioning needs of these students.