This is TALK OF THE NATION. Im Neal Conan in Washington. Almost 1.docx

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in
Washington. Almost 150 years ago, an English scientist named
Francis Galton coined the phrase nature versus nurture and in
the next breath proposed that research on twins could help
resolve that debate.
Genetics seem to weigh heavily in favor of nature. Almost
everybody knows identical twins who have the same hobbies,
career and preferences - right down to snack foods. But even
identical twins are different to a greater or lesser degree, and
some researchers now believe that those differences suggest
there's something besides nature and nurture at work.
If you're an identical twin, how are you different from your
twin? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, [email protected]
You can also join the conversation on our website. That's at
npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.
Later in the program, Ann Selzer with the Des Moines
Register's Iowa poll, but first Peter Miller joins us here in
Washington, in Studio 3A. He's a senior editor at National
Geographic, and his article "A Thing or Two About Twins" is
the cover story for this month's issue of the magazine. Nice to
have you with us today.
PETER MILLER: Thank you very much, nice to be here.
CONAN: And all the evidence about twins suggests the power
of genetics. We hear all the time about these twins who grew up
apart, for various reasons, and it turns out, well, they are so
strikingly similar, it seems that their choices are so heavily
weighted by nature, if you will, as opposed to nurture.
MILLER: Well, I think it's true that everybody who has twins in
their family maybe knows that there's a mix, that because they
share the same DNA, they look alike, they might have some of
the same characteristics, some of the same personality traits, but
they're different.
They're different people, and scientists are particularly
interested in the differences that can tell us, the rest of us, why

we are the way we are, for example why one twin will develop
cancer or why one twin will have a reading dis - or why both
twins will have reading disabilities.
Those kinds of differences are special because twins enable
them to eliminate the DNA factor when they're trying to figure
out well, what it is that causes these things because they share
same DNA. It must be something else.
CONAN: It must be something else, and the obvious answer is,
well, how they're raised, it's the environment.
MILLER: Well, that's probably the answer that it is the
environment. But what is the environment? I mean, the
environment includes which one of them got more nutrition in
the womb, for example. I mean, the environment starts very
early.
The other reason why scientists really like to include twins is
that in general, identical twins, which is the kind of twins that
we're talking about here rather than fraternal twins, who are
more like brother and sister or more like ordinary siblings,
identical twins, who share the same DNA, can help them to
teach them about the kinds of traits that we're most interested
in.
CONAN: Well, for example, the article you write talks about a
pair of twin boys, one of whom - both of them have various
degrees of autism, but one is extremely autistic, and the other is
marginal.
MILLER: Yeah, remarkable case, two lovely boys, both of them
extremely bright, very sweet, but one is - has developed a
severe, severe case of autism. And the other is the kind of
genius that can't devour enough books and has a laser-like
intensity. And so you wonder how could they be so different,
how could...
CONAN: I loved the story about him, he was interested in
Greek mythology, developed the wings of Icarus to try them out
for himself, broke his ankle and then has since studied
everything there is to know about anatomy.
MILLER: Exactly, and it's even more fascinating, because

autism is a - autism developmental syndrome is thought to be
genetically - or thought to be inherited. In other words, there's a
very strong likelihood that if one twin has autism that the other
will.
CONAN: And so is there an explanation as to why one of the
twin brothers is much more affected by the autism than the
other?
MILLER: No, not yet. There are - there have been studies that
have indicated that conditions in the womb or in the first year
of life may have an influence on the development of autism, but
what's really interesting is, well, what's the mechanism by
which these factors can cause changes in two identical twins.
And that's where scientists are starting to talk about another set,
another system of inheritance apart from the DNA sequences.
You know, we all share the same code. I mean, we all have
DNA that can't be changed, but there's another system called
epigenetics which can be changed, and the epigenetic system
works to turn genes on and off in a way that can change the
traits.
So it's quite possible, and scientists are looking at, well,
perhaps autism is one of those traits, one of those diseases, that
is caused by epigenetic changes.
CONAN: And these are not likely to be simple answers or one
switch here, one switch there. It's likely to be more complicated
than that. The analogy you used in the article, which I thought
was interesting, was twins are born with the same keyboard,
like a piano keyboard. Epigenetics is what you're describing
there, enables slightly different tunes to be played.
MILLER: Exactly. We're born with a keyboard. We can't change
the keyboard. But there are chemical reactions that can change
the volume of the keys or even turn keys off and on. And the
keys that are turned off might be ones that we need in order to
develop in a proper way. So the hope is that as scientists
understand more clearly which genes are responsible for which
traits, then we will be able to develop therapies, even chemical
therapies, that might affect whether they're turned on or off or

not, in other words, epigenetic drugs that can affect things like
autism, things like cancer.
CONAN: We want to hear from the twins, identical twins in our
audience about how you are different from your twin. Give us a
call, 800-989-8255. Email us, [email protected] We'll start with
Leslie(ph), Leslie with us from Macomb in Illinois.
LESLIE: Right, I'm 66 years old, I have an identical twin sister
named Linda, and we are mirror twins, which means I'm left-
handed, and she's right-handed. So that's a little unusual. In
terms of being different, we have similar personality types, but
we married men who are very different and sort of diverged at
that point in terms of religion, politics and so forth, one of us
being conservative the other being liberal.
But we still remain very, very close and very close friends.
CONAN: That's interesting, so the divergence you trace to
marriage.
LESLIE: Yes.
CONAN: Clearly there might have been some other divergence
beforehand that might have led you to be attracted to different
kinds of men.
LESLIE: That's true, but I really couldn't put my finger on what
it would be.
CONAN: It's interesting, Peter Miller, the divergence chart
that's in the National Geographic article shows that identical
twins are very close early on in their years, and then as
differences mount up over time, they get further and further
apart.
MILLER: Yes, and in fact there was a recent study that did link
these differences to the epigenetic system I was talking about a
minute ago, that twins, when they're say three years old, have
similar patterns of gene regulation, and as they experience
different things in life, as they have different levels of nutrition
or, say, are exposed to smoking or not smoking or the sun, they
change.
And their epigenetic profiles change as they become older. So
by the time you're 66, although your DNA is the same, the

system that manages your DNA is quite different.
CONAN: Leslie, thanks very much for the call.
LESLIE: Thank you for talking to me. I really like your show.
CONAN: Thank you, we wish you and Linda a happy new year.
LESLIE: Thank you very much.
CONAN: Email from Jeff(ph), and excuse me for cutting her
off, Jeff in Brighton, Oregon: I am gay while my identical twin
brother is straight. I was born first. We were both large, both
seven pounds. So it's believed I was in the lower birth position
for most of the third trimester.
There is a womb development theory that I think that was either
exposed to or denied certain chemicals that I was either exposed
to or denied, certain chemicals that led to my sexual
development. Thank you for another great topic, very
interesting.
I wonder, there's an interesting picture in the article that shows
identical twins, one 10 pounds heavier than the other, they're
infants.
MILLER: Yes, well, sexual orientation is a very interesting
difference in twins. Twins are - all twins are no more likely to
be gay, for example, than the average population. But when one
twin is gay, it - the likelihood that the other will be gay is about
25 to percent, not that great. I mean, you...
CONAN: Higher than in the normal...
MILLER: Yeah, higher than random.
CONAN: Higher than random but less than certain.
MILLER: But less than you would say would be a very strong
influence.
CONAN: And has anybody figured out why?
MILLER: I don't think so, no.
CONAN: It is one of those anomalies. You can see different
personality traits, different mannerisms, different speech, you
know, mannerisms. But something as fundamental as that you'd
think would be shared.
MILLER: You would think so.
CONAN: You would think so, yet it's not. Here's an email, this

we have from Leeza(ph), Liza(ph), excuse me, in Flagstaff: I
know two men who were identical twins. They went into the
exact same profession. Both married, had families, but one of
the twins started drinking, became a total alcoholic, lost his
family and profession and is now homeless. The other twin is a
successful professional and family man.
Alcoholism is strongly genetic, yet we know that predisposition
does not mean determinism.
MILLER: No, it's not, exactly, that's a very good example that
even though the like - say there's a 60 percent likelihood that
you will have alcoholism if - genetically, there's still 40 percent
that says you won't. And so it's up to you...
CONAN: And it could be epigenetic, too, and up to you, as
well.
MILLER: Yeah.
CONAN: We're talking about twins. If you're an identical twin,
how are you and your twin different? Give us a call, 800-989-
8255. Email us, [email protected] More in just a minute. Our
guest is Peter Miller, a senior editor at National Geographic
magazine. "A Thing or Two About Twins" is the January 2012
cover story on National Geographic. Stay with us. I'm Neal
Conan. It's the TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
CONAN: This is TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. I'm
Neal Conan. When twins descent on the small town of
Twinsburg, Ohio, every year for the Twins Day Festival, they
catch up with old friends over picnics, participate in look-alike
contests, even crown a royal court.
But as the cover story in this week's National Geographic
magazine explains, the festival is more than just fun and games
these days: It's a valuable research opportunity for scientists
who hope to quantify the influence of nurturing versus that of
nature.
Identical twins can help explain the influence of environmental
factors; the experiences of fraternal twins can help illuminate
heredity's role. Identical twins, we'd like to hear from you

today. How are you different from your twin? 800-989-8255.
Email [email protected] You can also join the conversation at
our website. Go to npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.
Peter Miller is our guest, he's the author of that National
Geographic cover story, and let's see if we can go next to - this
is Adam(ph), Adam with us from Toledo.
ADAM: Hi, how's it going?
CONAN: Good, thanks.
ADAM: Happy new year's.
CONAN: Happy new year to you, too.
ADAM: Great, so when my brother and I - I'm an identical twin,
I was born outside of Charlotte, North Carolina - when my
brother and I were in elementary school, we had different
teachers, and we had an experience basically where I was pulled
out of the IQ test that we took in second grade as students.
And I just violated the rules, apparently. I guess they weren't
properly explained to me. But anyway, so my brother was
placed in the academically gifted group at our school, and I
wasn't. And so we kind of diverged from that point. I assumed
that I was, you know, kind of the dumb twin, and he was the
smart one.
And so I found my niche as being in the gregarious, social
person, and that kind of led through our entire lives. I didn't
find out until that - that that was an IQ test until I was 18, and,
you know, my academics were pretty good, but my brother
developed a much more analytical way of viewing the world.
He went off to study meteorology, and I am a political activist
now. So it's pretty interesting.
CONAN: That is interesting because, Peter Miller, reading your
article, IQ is one of the most heritable traits.
MILLER: Yeah, that's a fascinating story. It's - I don't know
why you might have been pulled out of the IQ test, but I
expected you to say that you took the test for your brother, or
your brother took it for you, and you ended up with the same
score because the IQ test does have a very strong correlation
between twins.

They tend to have similar potential in terms of IQ, but what
your story also demonstrates is that things that happen to twins
separately can have a very strong impact on how they then
differ.
I mean, you say your brother went to a different educational
program and then was sort of led in a different direction, and
it's a very good example of how nature and nurture kind of do a
dance where he was encouraged to pursue these certain abilities,
and then these abilities probably got better, and then he sought
out more experiences that were like that, almost like, you know,
like a tall person might play basketball and then be rewarded for
being good at basketball and et cetera.
So it's a very interesting story that you tell about, you know,
how nurture sort of sent you two in different directions, even
though nature had given you the same sort of potentials.
ADAM: And I wanted to further comment, just really quickly, I
think it's interesting, and I'm sure that a lot of your identical
twins that are listening now can definitely relate to this, but
there seems to be a societal pressure for twins to, you know, be
different from each other.
And my brother and I are, you know, thick as thieves. We're
still incredibly close, and interestingly enough, even though my
brother went to study hard sciences, he's actually now a
journalist. So he's working in a more gregarious, you know,
social field than I think he originally intended to. And...
CONAN: So that divergence chart might find you guys coming
closer together in some respects.
ADAM: That's right, and I went to grad school to study political
science. So I kind of went into this - you know, even though it's
not a hard science, it's very - it's deeply analytical. So it's kind
of interesting. But I think maybe that's something to discuss
further about social pressures on twins to, you know, kind of
branch out and be their own people as opposed to just I guess
allowing themselves to be as similar as a lot of times they are.
CONAN: Well, that's interesting, and Adam, thanks very much
for the phone call, there are so many pictures in - that

accompany this article of twins who prefer to dress alike,
indeed the two truck-driving twins who have the exact same
beard and look precisely the same, of course they're identical
twins, but nevertheless, people who prefer to be the mirror of
their sibling.
MILLER: Yeah, when you go to the festival in Ohio, it's really
overwhelming to see - to be surrounded by so many people who
look exactly like each other. And after a while, you really begin
to feel like you were the odd one, you know, that you're the
singleton in a sea of twin-world.
And as you said, the twins that like being twins, really this is a
great opportunity for them to celebrate.
CONAN: Let's see if we can get another caller in. This is
Harvey(ph), Harvey calling us from New Haven.
HARVEY: Yes, hi, I'm a doctor at Yale University. I happen to
have a set of identical twins, and I also happen to be a person
who studies this. So I think one other part of the story needs to
be added, and that is identical twins are different depending on
when they split.
There are twins that are formed 20 percent of the time at the
two-cell stage, and those two cells end up forming two separate
placentas, and those twins are the most identical, identical
twins, although ironically because they're two separate
placentas, the OBs will often sometimes mistakenly say no,
your twins are not identical.
Eighty percent of the time, the twins are actually mirror image,
and Linda brought this up when she called. And those twins are
really quite different. Our daughters, for example, are mirror-
image identical twins, and although they look similar, they have
very different personalities, and part of the reason we now
understand is that in the first five days, what's happening is that
different genes are turning off on different parts of the embryo.
And when they split on Day Five, which is probably considered
a mistake, actually, one of the babies becomes - comes from the
right side of the embryo, and the other comes from the left side,
and those two sides actually have different genes that are turned

off, and so they can never be the same once that happens.
CONAN: So that embryonic history - of course OBs,
obstetricians you're talking about - and I wonder, Peter Miller,
is this something you encountered in your research?
MILLER: Yeah, yeah, identical twins can never be completely
identical just because of that, because they start being different
from, you know, the moment that the egg splits.
CONAN: Harvey, let me take advantage of your expertise.
There's an email we have from Tim(ph) in Minneapolis, who
writes: The development of epigenetics has changed discussion
of inherited traits forever. Epigenetics is the expression of
proteins unique to each individual. Any discussion of genetics
without incorporation epigenetics is flawed.
HARVEY: I think that's true, and we're finding that both in
studies of twins and also just in assistive reproductive
technology, in the sense of what we do in the laboratory before
we put an embryo back may be slightly different than what
happens in nature.
So I think we've taken this for granted, but the identical twin
story is a nice example of how splitting an embryo, Day Five,
you end up with really two distinct people that have quite a few
differences. Even though they have the same DNA, the DNA is
being expressed differently in each of those individuals.
CONAN: Interesting, Harvey, thanks very much.
HARVEY: My pleasure.
CONAN: Appreciate it. Important to point out, as you do in the
article, though, Peter Miller, this is all - well, I hate to use the
word embryonic. It's early days yet.
MILLER: It really is. There's so much more to learn about the
way that the epigenetic system works. It's not totally new
because cancer researchers have been studying this intensively
for perhaps 20 years, but what's really advanced the science is
that computers and other technology have enabled us now to
understand and to study the genome at a microscopic - at such a
detailed level that we can now actually sort of hope to put our
finger on what's - how the epigenetic processes are actually

working on the DNA.
CONAN: Let's go next to Kathleen(ph), Kathleen with us from
Oakland.
KATHLEEN: Hi, I have an identical twin. We are both 57. And
we are extremely different in both personality and in medical
history, or I should say, medical background. But we are - I
mean, physically very identical and, you know, have the similar
gestures, exact same voice, that kind of thing that made it very
difficult for people to tell us apart for most of our lives - not
anymore. But the personality differences were from day one,
and there seems to be almost all the evidence points to the fact
that we were the very early splitting twins, the 20 percent.
My sister has very severe autoimmune disorders and I have
none. And, of course, anyone who's - who knows the research
on this will know that a lot of it has to do with, you know,
something that only affects identical twin girls, which is the
deactivation of X chromosomes, which, of course, starts in
utero - starts very early on. And of the diseases that my sister
has, for instance, is Sjogren's disease, and I don't have Sjogren's
disease, or any other type of autoimmune disorder.
CONAN: And the kinds of differences Kathleen is talking
about, particularly those medical differences, Peter Miller,
those seems to be the ones that scientists are most interested in?
The others are, well, interesting, but if we could figure some of
these out, we could have a direct impact on, not just on those
people - all of us.
MILLER: Yeah, I think - I was just thinking that I'm sure that
the researchers in these fields would love to be able to study
your case, and if there were other people like you, to draw some
conclusions from it. Because as you mentioned, in many ways,
it sounded like you two share a lot of traits - your physical
appearance and so on.
KATHLEEN: Yes. And not only that, but things like - I'm sure
we - I think someone told us once that we were within one point
of each other on IQ...
CONAN: Mm-hmm.

KATHLEEN: ...best, which as I know is quite common and
doesn't surprise me a bit. But our entire approach to life, led by
a personality trait, is completely different and has been, I would
say, since we were born.
CONAN: And have you been in any twin studies?
KATHLEEN: We are in the northern - yes, we're in the Northern
California twin registry and have been for about 30, 35 years.
They don't seem to do too much. I'm not sure why not. I mean,
you know, like three to four years, they ask us about being in
something.
CONAN: Well, maybe a vacation in Twinsburg.
KATHLEEN: What?
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
KATHLEEN: I really haven't concentrated on being a twin for
most of my life. It's just not something that takes up a lot of my
consciousness. And I would say that that is exactly the opposite
with my twin.
CONAN: Interesting. Interesting. Kathleen, thanks very much
for the call.
KATHLEEN: OK. Bye.
CONAN: We hope your sister does well.
KATHLEEN: OK. Bye.
CONAN: This tweet, we have from Lindsay's Moon(ph): Polar
opposites - she still loves 'N Sync at the age of 22. I've got Led
Zeppelin lyrics tattooed to my feet. And there are some
profound differences indeed. We were talking about the article,
"A Thing or Two About Twins." That's the cover story in the
January 2012 issue of National Geographic. You're listening to
TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. Bryce is on the line.
Bryce with us from San Jose.
BRYCE: Hi there. How are you doing?
CONAN: Good, thanks.
BRYCE: I was just, you know, clicking through the radio
stations here and I stumbled upon your discussion about twins,
and I happen to be an identical twin.
CONAN: How are you different from your twin?

BRYCE: Well, up until senior year of high school, we were
pretty much physiologically and psychologically identical. I'd
say within the psychological part of it, we complement each
other. So to each other, we're different, almost like a yin yang.
But to everyone else, we basically seem to be perfectly identical
in mannerisms in gestures and, you know, speaking style - even,
like, down the voice and body language. However, we went to
different colleges, and, you know, I stayed on the West Coast
and he went out to the East Coast.
And over the course for about six years, we really diverged.
These days, when people meet us, I'd say only half of them
guessed that we're twins right off the bat. And that's because,
you know, I'm a little bit thicker, more broad shouldered, have
filled out - I'm probably a good 25 to 30 pounds heavier than he
is. My face has changed a lot. We're very, very different at this
point. And on top of that, through our experiences, I say that
we've changed psychologically as well. And it's been kind of
interesting to see our pasts diverge. And I'm actually aware of
how epigenetics play into that, and I guess that our story attests
to how environmental conditions, habits, diets et cetera, et
cetera can change a person.
CONAN: Yeah, it's interesting. The size, Peter Miller, so many
twins seem to be so identical. Identical twins seem to be the
same size. Diet doesn't seem to play into it, or they seem to
have similar diets in any case.
MILLER: Well, that seems to be that weight is one of the traits
that seems to be strongly heritable.
CONAN: Strongly heritable...
MILLER: Yeah.
CONAN: So Bryce sets an important - an interesting distinction
there.
BRYCE: Yeah, definitely. I mean, we - like I said, in high
school, we were, you know, pretty much spot on. We're still the
same height, of course, but the weight has really changed a lot,
you know? I went from being maybe two or three pounds
heavier than him and just a little bit more muscular to being 25,

30 pounds heavier than him than - and filled out. I mean, I
would say, I'm not overly - I have like a athletic build, maybe
got a few pounds here and there, but he's almost gaunt, in my
opinion.
CONAN: Hmm.
BRYCE: Yeah.
CONAN: That's interesting. Thanks very much for the call.
BRYCE: Yes. Have a good one. Thanks.
CONAN: We're talking about how scientists are studying
identical and fraternal twins to study what makes us tick, a
combination of nature, nurture and a relatively new field called
epigenetics. We'll be back with more from our guest, Peter
Miller, who's the author of the cover story in this week's issue
of the National Geographic Magazine. It's titled "A Thing or
Two About Twins." Stay with us. I'm Neal Conan. It's the
TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
CONAN: In a few minutes, the latest from Iowa. We'll take a
look at the Iowa poll published by the Des Moines Register
Saturday night, but let's continue our conversation with Peter
Miller, who wrote National Geographic's cover story for this
month, "A Thing or Two About Twins." You can find a link to it
at our website. Go to npr.org, click on TALK OF THE
NATION.
And we've got some people still on the line and some emails
coming in. This is from David in Fredericksburg, Virginia:
Have there ever been any cases where parents had difficulty or
inability to tell their identical twins apart?
MILLER: Oh, that's funny. I think - yeah, I think it happens. I
spoke with one mother at Twinsburg. When their baby girls
were three weeks old, she had to paint one toenail pink and the
other toenail purple in order to make sure that she didn't feed
one twice.
CONAN: Interesting. And a related question, this is from Mary
in Minneapolis: Are twins better than average at telling twins
apart?

MILLER: That's a very good question. No, I don't think that
they have any better ability than that - than we do.
CONAN: ...more finely attuned than the rest of us, yeah.
MILLER: I don't think so.
CONAN: Let's go to Mandy, Mandy with us from Herkimer in
New York.
MANDY: Hello.
CONAN: Hi, Mandy.
MANDY: How are you?
CONAN: I'm well. Thank you.
MANDY: Thanks for taking my call. I have a twin sister. I'm
from upstate New York, and she lives on the West Coast.
Growing up, we were extremely identical, physically, but we
always had different talents. She - I love to brag about her - she
was the quiet one, but she has an amazing public speaking skill,
and my frustration right now, because it scares me to death.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
MANDY: And, yeah, I was the outgoing one. So I could charm
anybody in the room as long as we were, you know, having a
conversation together and you didn't put me behind a podium.
She has rhythm. I can't dance a beat - to this day. And she could
play snare drums. She was the best in our state. She was the one
who didn't want to go away to college, and I did. I went out of
state. She stayed close to home, and yet somehow I'm five
minutes from my parents' house, and she's on the West Coast.
So it's really interesting the way our paths ended up diverging.
And we were compared, so much, as kids that we really tried to
be individuals. You know, we love being twins. She's my best
friend. Thank God for email and texting and the like. But I'll
visit her out in Oregon, and we feel like a freak show, you
know? We feel like we can't eat our meal at a restaurant without
being stared at. We can't walk on the street without people
slowing down because our pace and our steps are the same, you
know? And we don't try to look different, because we're not
around each other to compare. So I think sometimes, now, we
look more alike than we did before because we don't - we're not,

you know, saying, hey, what are you wearing? I don't want to
look like you today. So...
CONAN: So you're not consciously trying to assert your
individuality, yeah.
MANDY: Exactly, exactly. And then I ended up being a
scientist, and she is a social worker. So I'm the more analytical-
minded, and she has more of a, you know, a language -
linguistic side. So - but, you know, we're extremely close, just
not geographically.
CONAN: Were you one of those sets of twins that developed
your own secret language?
MANDY: No, but we do play a game with each other. She'll call
me or I'll call her, and we literally say, guess what I'm doing.
And within, like, one or two guesses, she can guess exactly
what I'm doing. And it could be something brand-new that I've
never done before. So we have an intuition.
CONAN: That's interesting. There's a - the picture, and I'm
blanking on the name of the tennis players in the article, the
twins who play...
MILLER: The Bryans.
CONAN: ...yes, who play doubles tennis. And, of course,
they're accused by their opponents of using telepathy to defeat
them. Mandy, thanks very much. And please tell your sister
happy new year for us.
MANDY: Thank you very much.
CONAN: Appreciate the phone call. As these studies go ahead,
where do - the researchers you talk to, where do they think this
goes next?
MILLER: Well, there's a lot of basic work that needs to be done
at the molecular level to understand the mechanism in which
epigenetic processes are affecting which genes. And we still
really don't know what causes so many of the diseases that we
have. Only a handful of diseases are caused by problems with
single genes, and those have pretty much been identified. But
when you get into the more complex problems that people - the
kind of diseases that we suffer, the solutions are going to be

complex.
CONAN: Interesting, our last caller referred to expressions of
individuality. An email from Janine in San Mateo: I wanted to
say, on the subject of nature versus nurture, one thing non-twins
may not take into account is the identity issue. Some of the
differences may not be a matter of nurture, but instead of a
twin, whether consciously or not trying to assert an individual,
unique identity instead of constantly being lumped together
with his/her twin. I believe this is partly the case with my twin
and I.
We were more alike when younger and completely different
today. We hated being called the twins all the time and being
mistaken for each other by pretty much everyone outside our
family. We wanted to be our own people. The gay, non-gay
twins are an interesting case and may well very well be an issue
of identity assertion that caused that. Well, that's on the theory
that being gay or not is an identity assertion. But that's
questionable. But other traits...
MILLER: I've heard that a lot from twins that only twins can
understand the kind of pressure that society exerts upon twins to
kind of be - to play that role of being twins, you know. And I
don't think any twin likes being called, you know, you're the
twin or one of the twins.
CONAN: Well, let's get the twins in on this.
MILLER: Yeah.
CONAN: And finally, an email - this is from Beth. Any studies
on identical triplets?
MILLER: Yeah. I don't know. I don't know about identical
triplets.
CONAN: There can't be so many of them as there are twins,
obviously, an order of magnitude, at least...
MILLER: Studying them would be very difficult, exactly.
CONAN: Peter Miller, thanks very much for your time today.
Fascinating article.
MILLER: Thank you.
CONAN: Peter Miller's article in the cover story of this week's

National Geographic is called "A Thing or Two About Twins."
You can go to npr.org, click on TALK OF THE NATION to find
a link to it. He joined us here in Studio 3A.
Capella University | Capella tower | 225 soUth sixth
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1.888.Capella (227.3552) | www.Capella.edU
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sCh/soe CliniCal/soe selF assessMent 03/18/2016
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EmPLId
classid EmPLId
Self-Assessment
www.Capella.edU1/18
Ms—early Childhood edUCation selF-assessMent |
sChool oF edUCation
www.Capella.edU1/18

Learner Information
Complete your information below electronically by clicking
within and/or tabbing to each field.
www.Capella.edU1/18
learner last naMe First naMe Middle initial date
www.Capella.edU1/18
prograM speCialization learner id/last FoUr ssn
www.Capella.edU1/18

eMail address phone nUMber
www.Capella.edU1/18
street address City state zip
Upon entering the early Childhood education program, every
learner has to assess their competencies multiple times
throughout the program listed below. you will complete this
assessment during ED5405, prior to and at the end of ed5450,
practicum in early Childhood education. as you complete this
self-assessment, be sure to review the state and national
standards to which each outcome and competency are aligned.
links to the appropriate state and national standards are
embedded at the top of the appropriate column, indicated by
underlined red text.
Submission
please indicate which submission of your three required self-
assessments this document will be by clicking in the
corresponding box below.ED5405 submission q pre-Clinical
practice q post-Clinical practice
Submission Instructions*if this is the pre-Clinical practice
submission, this document must be submitted with your clinical

practice application by emailing to [email protected] or faxing
to 1.888.227.8492.
if this is your ED5405 or post-Clinical practice submission,
submit this self-assessment within your courseroom as an
assignment.
* reminder: all three versions of the self-assessment are
required artifacts in your e-portfolio.
Self Assessment
www.Capella.edU/18
sCh/soe CliniCal/soe selF assessMent
10-4727
Self Assessment
www.Capella.edU/18
sChool oF edUCation

Self Assessment
www.Capella.edU/18
Directions
Complete this document electronically (click within and/or tab
to each field) for each of the specialization competencies,
(second column) rate yourself by typing an “x” in the
appropriate box. include a brief narrative explanation in the
space provided.
3 = distinguished (learner demonstrates extensive experience
and expertise) 2 = proficient (learner demonstrates some
experience and average expertise) 1 = basic (learner
demonstrates limited experience and expertise)
0 = non-performance (learner demonstrates zero experience or
expertise)
Early Childhood Education Specialization Outcomes
Early Childhood Education Specialization Competencies
Minnesota Standards for Teachers of Early Childhood
Education (Rule 8710.3000)
NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young
Children) Standards
Learner Self- Assessment of level of competency
(Qualitative) Narrative for experience and expertise

0
1
2
3
1. Child development and well-being: Understand the stages of
child development and
how children learn.
1.1. apply knowledge of the stages of child development and the
ways in which a child’s emotional, physical, social, moral,
cognitive, and language development affect each other and
influence learning.
a1, a2, a4,
a7, b1, b2, C7, d1
NAEYCStandard1.promoting Child development and learning.
Candidates use
their understanding of young children’s characteristics
and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s
development and learning, to create environments that are
healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children.

1.2. recognize and respond to the needs of young children
(naeyC standard 1a) and vary instruction accordingly.
b2 and C2
1a.Knowing young children’s characteristics and needs.
1.3. recognize and respond to the multiple influences on child
development and learning.
1b.Understanding multiple influences on development and
learning.
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
1.4. Create instructional strategies incorporating an
understanding of how children create, internalize, and utilize
knowledge and how this affects behavior and learning.
a3, a4 C2, C8
X
1.5. Foster children’s expression of their ideas, needs and
desires.

d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
1.6. help all students learn at the highest possible level.
C8
X
1.7. evaluate the internal and external motivations of
children and their relationship to growth and learning.
a3
X
2. learning environment: Create learning environments that
support and nurture the development, learning, and
self-esteem of all children.
2.1. analyze the multiple influences of a learning environment
on a young child’s development.
b5
NAEYC Standard1c.Using developmental knowledge to create
learning environments.

X
2.2. Create learning environments aligned to educational
expectations and goals.
b5, d3, d4,
d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
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Children) Standards

0
1
2
3
2.3. Monitor and adjust the environment, strategies and
resources in response to both learner productivity and learner
feedback.
C7
X
2.4. engage students in their own learning through participation
in a variety of experiences and stimuli that allow for them to
steer their own learning.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X

2.5. Create a classroom climate that promotes learning through
the development of expectations for individual and group
behavior.
b5, C6, d3,
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
2.6. apply the principles of effective classroom
management using a range of strategies to promote respect,
collaborative play, and cooperative learning.
b5, C6, d3,
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
2.7. Communicate effectively, applying verbal, non-verbal and
listening techniques.
b5, d4, d5,
d6, d7, d8, d9
X

2.8. encourage learner expression in a variety of forms
including speaking, physical activity, and artistic presentations.
b5, C6, C7, d3
X
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Children) Standards
0

1
2
3
3. Curriculum and instruction: design developmentally
appropriate curriculum and instruction that encourages
individual as well as group learning, skill development,
reflection, critical thinking, and inquiry.
3.1. design curriculum and instruction based on
knowledge of learning styles and multiple intelligences as it
pertains to young children.
d1, C1, C4,
C6, C8, d4,
d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
3.2. design both short-term and long-term curriculum and
instruction based
on the individual needs, previous experiences, and
developmental stages of the children.
C1, C4, C5,
C6, C7, C8,
d1, d4, d5,
d6, d7, d8, d9,

3.3. plan instructional programs that employ an understanding
of instructional strategies, learning styles, and cognitive
processes.
C4, C6, d1,
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
3.4. Use a variety of strategies, resources, media
communication, and technology to improve instruction and
facilitate learning.
C4, C6, d4,
d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
3.5. actively promote the child’s responsibility for learning.
C5, C6, C8
X

3.6. effectively communicate expectations, ideas, and
information to children at various developmental stages to
stimulate learning, recall, expression, and inquiry.
C4, C6, d1
X
4. equity and inclusion: provide equitable, inclusive education
in
which each student has the opportunity and encouragement to
reach his or her potential.
4.1. Use multiple instructional models, resources, management,
and pedagogical strategies to meet the needs of and engage
diverse learners.
C7, d1, d4,
d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
4.2. effectively support cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X

4.3. recognize and address biases, prejudices, and
discrimination.
X
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Children) Standards
0

1
2
3
4.4. Use varied viewpoints and multiple representations in
teaching in order to link back to children’s prior learning and
personal learning styles.
a3, d1
X
4.5. encourage students to interpret and understand ideas from
various perspectives.
X
4.6. engage in thinking, analysis, and problem solving that
reflects scholarly intellectual standards,
incorporates sound reasoning, and strives for equity and fairness

X
4.7. design curriculum and instruction based on the
understanding and
identification of exceptionality in learning including
disabilities, challenges and gifts.
X
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Children) Standards

0
1
2
3
4.8. evaluate the impact of cultural, language, and learning
differences on
communication in the learning environment.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
4.9. Model and expect from children respectful treatment of
others.

X
5. assessment: design assessment- driven, standards- based
curriculum and instruction that is age and developmentally
appropriate.
5.1. Use a variety of formal and informal assessments with
knowledge of their advantages and limitations.
C6, C7, C8, F1
NAEYCStandard3.observing, documenting, and assessing
to support young Children and Families. Candidates know
about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of
assessment. they know about and use systematic observations,
documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a
responsible way,
in partnership with families and other professionals, to
positively influence children’s development and learning.
3a.Understanding assessment goals, benefits, and uses.
X
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
5.2. Choose assessments through the application of a broad-
based knowledge of measurement theory, validity, reliability,
bias and scoring concerns.
F1
X

5.3. assess learner growth and performance toward achievement
of any and all relevant state or national standards.
F1
X
5.4. Use assessments appropriate to the development of the
child, goal of the assessment, and limitations and opportunities
of the setting.
C1, C6, C7, C8, F1
NAEYCStandard3b.Using appropriate assessments.
3c.practicing responsible assessment.
X
5.5. partner with families and other professionals in the delivery
of assessment and the responsible use of findings.
d2
3d.Knowing about assessment partnerships with families and
professionals.
X
5.6. observe young children in a systematic, effective, and
respectful manner.

b4, d2
X
5.7. Know the difference between assessment and evaluation.
X
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Children) Standards

0
1
2
3
5.8. assess both individual and group performance in a variety
of ways to determine student learning and thinking in order to
design appropriate instruction.
C6
X
5.9. identify exceptional learning needs and access appropriate
services and/ or resources to meet these needs
e5
X

5.10. synthesize assessment data with other information about a
child to further modify teaching strategies and enhance
individual growth and learning.
F3
X
5.11. share assessment results with children and their families
to optimize learner engagement and reflection.
e4
X
5.12. establish a system for evaluating the effectiveness of
curriculum and teaching strategies.
F4
X
5.13. establish a system for maintaining and monitoring student
performance and growth and a method for communicating it
with parents and administrators.

e4, F4
X
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Children) Standards
0
1

2
3
6. Content Knowledge: Comprehend early childhood content
knowledge, its evolution, and its application
6.1. Know the historical and philosophical foundations of
education.
g1
NAEYCStandard4.teaching and learning. Candidates integrate
their understanding of and relationships with children and
families; their understanding of developmentally effective
approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge
of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate
experiences that promote positive development and learning for
all children.
X
6.2. apply various ways of knowing and understanding to design
developmentally effective approaches.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
4b.Using developmentally effective approaches.
X
6.3. integrate knowledge of children and subject

matter to design, implement and evaluate meaningful
interdisciplinary curriculum.
4c.Understanding content knowledge in early childhood.
4d.building meaningful curriculum.
X
6.4. assess curriculum and teaching materials for
relevance, thoroughness, and accuracy.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
6.5. implement the standards- based learning that young
children encounter in the K–12 system of education.
d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9
X
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
7. Community: support and empower the young child’s
relationships within and outside of the school setting.
7.1. determine how the complexities and diversity of family,
community,
and cultural norms and characteristics (Mn standard 3j)

influence learning.
a5, a6, a7, e3, F2
NAEYCStandard2.building Family and Community
relationships. Candidates know about, understand, and value
the importance and complex characteristics of children’s
families and communities.
they use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal
relationships that support and
empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s
development and learning.
2a.Understanding family and community characteristics.
X
7.2. analyze the characteristics, lifestyles, and contributions
associated with various racial, cultural, and economic groups in
our society.
e2, e3
X
7.3. analyze the influence of family and community drug use
and misuse on a child’s learning.
d2
X

7.4. Comprehend the cultural content, worldview, and concepts
that comprise american indian trial government, history,
language, and culture in the state in which they teach.
e1, e2
X
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Children) Standards

0
1
2
3
7.5. build reciprocal relationships with the families of all
children that actively engage the family and community in the
children’s development.
e1, a5, a6
NAEYCStandard2b.supporting and empowering families and
communities through respectful,
2c.involving families and communities in children’s
development
X
7.6. Connect with, engage, and empower children and their
families.
e1, a5, b2
4a.Connecting with children and families.
X

8. ethics and professionalism: Uphold ethical and professional
standards in conduct as an early childhood professional.
8.1. articulate and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the
naeyC Code of ethical Conduct and the code of ethics for
educators in the state in which they work.
5.becoming a professional. Candidates identify and conduct
themselves as members of the early childhood profession.
they know and use ethical guidelines and other professional
standards related to early childhood practice. they are
continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate
knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their
work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from
a variety of sources. they are informed advocates for sound
educational practices and policies.
X
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
8.2. Collaborate flexibly and effectively with other adults in
professional roles.
X
8.3. engage in advocacy for children and the profession (naeyC
standard 5c) by participating in communities of practice and
other collaborations with education professionals, parents, and

community members to mobilize resources to best meet student
needs and to enhance professional growth.
NAEYCStandard5c.engaging in continuous learning.
X
8.4. revise teaching practices and professional development
opportunities as a result
of learner assessments, self-assessments, literature reviews, and
reflection.
X
8.5. Use technology effectively to increase productivity and
improve professional practice.
X
8.6. recognize the importance of obtaining and maintaining
proper licensure.

X
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Children) Standards
0
1

2
3
8.7. analyze the operations of the organization and system in
which they work.
X
8.8. Comprehend a child’s right to equal education, appropriate
education for students with disabilities, confidentiality, privacy,
and safety – specifically as it relates to abuse and neglect.
X
8.9. Know data practices.
X

8.10. accept opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities.
X
8.11. accept the opportunity and responsibility to mentor other
professionals and aspiring professionals.
X
8.12. build better outcomes for children by working with others
to create change through influence and consensus.
X
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
9. reflection and Continuous
learning: engage in continued professional growth.
9.1. self-assess personal strengths and weaknesses and how to
create an effective professional development plan.

X
9.2. Monitor and adjust teacher and caregiver behavior to
positively influence student engagement and learning.
X
9.3. engage in reflective practice for continuous professional
growth and improvement of instructional and leadership
practices.
X
9.4. develop collaborative relationships with other professionals
that support reflection, problem-solving, and the generation of
new ideas toward improving the learning environment and
learner experience.
X

9.5. actively participate in the early childhood field.
NAEYCStandard5a.identifying and becoming involved with the
early childhood field.
X
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Children) Standards
0

1
2
3
9.6. integrate knowledge, skills, reflection and critical thinking.
NAEYCStandard5d.integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and
critical perspectives.
X
9.7. pursue continuous learning and professional development.
5c.engaging in continuous learning.
X
9.8. write clearly and communicate effectively with families
and the community in a variety of ways appropriate to purpose,
context, and professional role.

X
10. theory and research: apply critical knowledge of current
research and theory to
the improvement of instructional and leadership practices.
10.1. identify and use resources necessary to perform their
professional role with the most current
knowledge and best practices.
X
10.2. Conduct classroom and/ or school-based research to
improve practice, programs and student outcomes.
X
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Children) Standards
0
1
2
3
10.3. engage students in inquiry sufficient to generate further
questioning as well as knowledge.
X

10.4. inform thinking, planning, and teaching with appropriate
data and data driven strategies
demonstrating an advanced ability to investigate questions
relevant to their practice.
X

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