Twins in School: What Teachers Should Know. ERIC Digest.

The incidence of multiple births has increased dramatically in the past two decades. Given this trend, it seems reasonable to assume that many teachers will have twins and other multiple siblings in their classes at some point in their classroom careers. This Digest offers some pointers for educators facing the challenges of educating multiples. There are two basic types of twins and other multiples. Identical twins are defined as monozygotic because they are the result of the split of a single fertilized ovum. Dizygotic twins, usually referred to as fraternal twins, are the result of the fertilization of two separate ova, as in other siblings born years apart. One question frequently asked by preschool and elementary teachers is whether the separation of multiples should be encouraged. The Parents of Multiple Births Association provides a list of possible circumstances to be considered when making a decision about separation. Included in this list are questions such as whether the twins'"togetherness" might hinder the social development of one or both. Separation may also be considered if classmates engage in frequent comparisons of the pair, and the comparisons provoke negative feelings in either twin. There is no evidence that twins are more disruptive than non-twins. However, if disruptions do occur and standard procedures for handling disruptive behavior fail to alleviate the pattern, separation might be one course of action to consider. Separation might also be considered if a female twin "over-mothers" her male co-twin. Educators might want to consider how separation will affect twins who are accustomed to helping each other through academic and social predicaments. Twins can be closely observed and evaluated by teachers and parents. In this way, school personnel and parents can address the issue of separation as a team focused on the long-term best interests of the children. (LPP)