Sally Reis on 2e: We Must Improve Identification of 2e Girls

Identifying gifted children sometimes can be a challenge. Properly identifying and supporting twice-exceptional students often is orders of magnitude more difficult. When it comes to identifying female students who are gifted or 2e, the challenge can be even greater. Dr. Sally Reis chatted with 2e News recently about the work she is doing in this area and how we can go about helping teachers and school districts address the issue of the under-identification of gifted and twice-exceptional girls. She also expressed the need for a talent development element to be included in every IEP. “If (in) every single meeting that a teacher and parents have about a 2e child there was one part of that meeting that focused on interests and strengths and talents — that would really excite me,” Reis says, “because it changes the conversation when you ask somebody about talents, you ask somebody about interests, and we actually have a goal about development of a talent or an interest.”   Sally Reis is the vice provost for academic affairs, a Board of Trustee distinguished professor, and a teaching fellow in educational psychology at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Reis was a public school teacher and administrator for 15 years prior to her work at UConn. She has authored more than 250 articles, books, book chapters, monographs, and technical reports. She also is a past-president of the National Association for Gifted Children.