Selective Mutism Strategy - Fade In

 

• Who: Amy, talking buddy, homeroom teacher, specials teacher
• Location: the corner table of Amy’s homeroom classroom
• Environment: door closed, other classmates can be in the classroom, relaxed
• Worry Level: 3
• Purpose: This strategy helps Amy feel relaxed when a new person joins her group or room
• What’s Happening: Amy is playing a game and talking with her talking buddy and homeroom teacher. The specials teacher approaches group and uses the sportscaster strategy to talk about what is happening.

Strategy and Scene 

• Fade-In: do this gradually, starting with small talk and connecting with her. Try multiple times to fade in until she is comfortable.
• “How do you play this game?  Do you each have to pick up a card?  And it looks like you take turns.  Oh, Amy it is your turn now!  Now you are going to move to the pink space.  Let’s see what card Jada gets, oh, a blue!  Hmm, I wonder who is going to win!”
• Special teacher can try multiple times to talk to Amy, but don’t expect her to answer

Create an Opportunity to Talk

• After warming up to Amy, the specials teacher asks if she can sit down with Amy and her talking buddy
• Homeroom teacher stays with the group until Amy is comfortable
• Amy agrees to let the specials teacher sit down and play with them when the homeroom teacher walks away. **Worry level 2**

Provide hints/assistance to communicate

• If Amy seems uncomfortable with answering questions from specials teacher, have the talking buddy provide hints and assistance for Amy for the answers.
• Specials teacher: “How many players does this game need?”
• Amy doesn’t respond.
• Talking Buddy: “When we played before it was me, Amy and Mrs. A. Right Amy?”
• Amy (nods): three.

   It’s time for free time, and right on cue, Mrs. Fyer walks into the classroom. Every week, Amy can choose a friend to be her talking buddy, and the three of them will spend some time together, playing games. This time, she picks Katie.

    “What should we play?” Mrs. Fyer asks, and Amy wordlessly picks up her favorite board game. They quickly set up, and the game starts.

    Just as Amy is making her second lap around the board, the Special Ed teacher, Mrs. Bartrim, approached the group.

    Although Amy was rather familiar with the teacher by now, she could still feel her heart rate increase with the presence of a new person. She anxiously fiddled with her cards.

    “This game looks fun, how do you play?” Mrs. Bartrim asks aloud. The question is rhetorical, so Amy stays silent, and instead continues.

    “Ah, I see, do you each have to pick up a card? And it looks like you take turns, interesting” Mrs. Bartrim observes. “How many players does this game require?”

    Amy, still nervous, doesn’t answer. Instead, her eyes meet with Katie’s, and they communicate silently.

    “We usually play with three.” Katie says.

Amy nods shyly. “Three.”

The game continues, and Mrs. Bartrim occasionally comments on their moves. Amy starts to slowly relax, having gotten used to the presence of the teacher.

“Oh, Amy it is your turn now! Now you are going to move to the pink space.”

Amy smiles -- pink is her favorite color. She looks at Mrs. Bartrim, and makes tentative eye contact. Mrs. Bartrim smiles at her, and Amy feels any lingering worry start to slip away.

“Can I sit with you two and watch?” Mrs. Bartrim asks. Amy notices that Special Ed. teacher been standing the whole time, and nods at her to take a seat.

The game is soon coming to a close, and Amy starts getting excited -- she’s currently in the lead.

“Oh, Amy it is your turn now! Now you are going to move to the pink space.

“Hmm, I wonder who is going to win.”

“Me!” Amy says immediately, moving her piece to the end. She smiles at Katie, who pouts at her loss. “I lost again?” She asks.

“This looks fun. Do you think I can join you for another round?” Mrs. Bartrim asks, picking up one of the game pieces.

“Of course!” Amy replied happily.

When the environment changes or unfamiliar people approach, children with selective mutism can become anxious, and their worry level will increase. They may fidget uncomfortably, or suddenly become quiet and reserved. New people interacting with children with selective mutism must be patient, and slowly fade in to the environment. Once the child relaxes or is distracted from the change, they’ll slowly start responding, and opening up. In these circumstances, a talking buddy functions as a bridge of communication between the new person and the selectively mute child. If the child’s stress level does not decrease with time, or if the ‘fade in’ is not successful, it is best to leave the environment and re-approach at a later time or occasion.

作者俊華,艾米媽 。 如有需要，加微信：junwang08837，艾米媽邀你進 “選擇性緘默症家長分享群”。

選擇性緘默症包括語言恐 Speech Phobia，感知障礙 Sensory Disorder, 社交恐懼 Social Anxiety 。 關鍵詞： 孩子為什麽不說話，孩子在外麵不說話，孩子不敢說話，和陌生人不說話，社交恐懼，孩子在幼兒園和學校不說話，害羞，敏感，膽子小，懦弱，怕生，內向，沒自信，固執，不敢吃飯，不敢去廁所，不敢和小朋友玩，，在家講話，出門不講話。隻和爸爸媽媽說話， 不敢參加集體活動。