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Hi Lara. I am going to assume the learning difference is dyslexia. I think you should preface anything you send to the teacher with your words in the third paragraph above, which are a very good explanation on their own. A gifted student SHOULD be getting all 100's IF she has the barrier to her education removed/accommodated for. Does she tell a child in a wheelchair to "just try harder" to walk? It is essentially the same thing. The physically disabled child can't help that they can't walk, and a child with dyslexia can't help that they struggle to read - no matter how hard they try. In addition to being educated on dyslexia, this teacher also needs to be educated on IEPs. It is completely inappropriate (and possibly discriminatory) for the teacher to tell (bully) the child to try without her modifications and accommodations. That is an IEP team decision. If the modifications and accommodations are in the IEP, by law she HAS to follow them regardless of her personal feelings on the matter. Also, you need to request (demand) that she have no more such conversations with your daughter or ask the special education coordinator/director to reach out to the teacher. She is putting the school district at risk by not following the IEP. You would have a valid state complaint or could go to due process with this. Below are a couple of quick reads. The CNN article includes a link to a simulation, which hopefully she would click on. One last suggestion. I would try to get the teacher to confirm in writing what she said to your daughter. So you might first send an email something along the lines of "my daughter mentioned a meeting you had with her. I just wanted to get some clarification on what you were asking of her. Are you wanting her to attempt her school work without using the accommodations in her IEP?" No judgement or shaming or education yet - something neutral that she would hopefully respond to with the truth so you would have some proof if that were ever needed. Good luck! https://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/ https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/05/health/dyslexia-simulation/index.html