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Multiples are not in school 24 hours a day

Separation is sometimes seen as the universal panacea. It is the "cure" for any problem in the multiples, whether this be competition, social immaturity or delays in language or reading skills. Such a simplistic approach was first observed by Helen Koch in her large study of Chicago twins in the 1960's and certainly applied in the Australian Twins in School Survey ? separation was much more likely whenever there was any problem in the twins.

It must be remembered that multiples do not spend their entire lives at school. If one or more have reading problems, this will persist whether they are together or apart, unless something appropriate is done in the way of intervention. While separation in school may be part of a program to support the learning and development of multiples, it cannot be the entire solution. Attention must be paid to changing the situation at home if the children are competitive or to providing appropriate intervention if there is some other problem.

The message for both teachers and parents is clear: if separation is being seen as part of the solution to a problem in the multiples, what else in their lives at home and at school must be changed as well to ensure a successful outcome. Sometimes separation can actually increase problems between multiples. One recent study we did in Australia had boy-girl pairs working together to solve problems. The more time these twins had been separated, the more disruptive their behaviour towards each other. By being separated they had lost the skills to function as a unit. Their behaviour was also more directed to getting (or diverting) attention from the other twin. Furthermore, the issue is not just about how to organise homework. These young people will spend their lives as multiples and we need to think about how best to help them develop ways to handle the inevitable conflicts.