THE DEAR REEL MODEL: Classroom Strategies for Twice-Exceptional Student Success

Join REEL's executive director, Abby Kirigin, to discover new strategies and ideas for supporting twice-exceptional (2e) students at school using the DEAR REEL model. We developed the DEAR REEL model to provide a more concrete way to provide guidance on working with the 2e. The model is based on academic research and best practices from experienced educators about what works for these learners.

The DEAR REEL model consists of four lenses:

• Develop Connection
• Embrace Flexibility
• Attend to Strengths
• Reframe Behaviors

Each lens shares a lot with the others while also providing a valuable perspective on its own. As such, best practice suggestions for each area overlap somewhat with others. This is purposeful, because these four lenses work best when used together! This talk walks you step by step through each lens of the DEAR REEL model, including:

• an overview and definitions;

• personal stories and examples;

• suggested articles, books, blog posts, podcasts and videos;

• additional online resources.

We also include detailed lists of practical suggestions by grade level for elementary, middle, and high school. These suggestions do not all need to be used all of the time, but instead provide a menu of options for your consideration. Try strategies and see works for your community and classroom. We believe that you will find that it is not only 2e students who benefit from the strategies and ideas in this model; ALL students will benefit when the DEAR REEL model is implemented!