SM Strategies-Teacher: Classroom corner/Talking buddy

• Who: Amy, classmates, teacher
• Location: corner of classroom
• Environment: separated from the rest of class, quieter
• Worry Level: 2
• Purpose: having Amy separated from the larger group, but still with her talking buddies allows her to feel more comfortable at school, as she can develop more friendships with her buddies – this breaks the circle of silence/negative reinforcement (Amy won’t respond to others because no one talks to her, which makes others less likely to talk to her). This is the #1 Teacher Strategy.
• What is Happening: Amy is seated in the corner of the classroom, away from the majority of the classroom. Amy is playing a game, which makes children want to go over and play with her.

Strategy and Scene

• Classroom corner : Amy is in the corner of the classroom playing a game. Amy should have already mastered the game at home, and the game should be new to the class.
• Placing Amy away from loud noises and large groups of children allow her to feel more comfortable in her environment, allowing her to talk more readily.
• Amy should not be completely separated from the class, but should just be at the edge of the group.
• Fade-in/fade-out: More friends can be added to the group as she becomes more comfortable with them, classmates/friends introduce themselves to Amy and ask if they can join.
  • Student: “Can I play with you guys?”
  • Friend: “Ask Amy first. Amy, can John play with us?”
  • Amy nods.
• Make Amy popular: Amy chooses one or two of her talking or whisper buddies to sit with her during the activities – This makes other students want to talk to her.
• Floor strategy: Teacher: walking around the classroom, can join the game periodically, make comments or ask questions “Who is winning?”  “How do you know if you are winning?”  “Who is next?”

Amy usually had two teachers: one was her homeroom teacher, the other was a special education teacher. The special education teacher needed to help a few students with special needs, such as dyslexia, autism, delayed development, selective mutism, and more. Amy didn’t speak but was the smartest, and the school deliberately picked a gentle and nice teacher, Mrs. Harberson. She used a unique approach to help Amy.

Mrs Harberson’s first question was where to place Amy’s desk in the classroom. If she sat close to the door, Amy could go to the bathroom with her friend without drawing too much attention from others. If the desk was at the quietest corner deepest in the classroom, Amy would be more relaxed. She could study, do projects, and play with her talking buddy, whisper buddy, and new friends. Another question was whom Amy should sit next to. There were 20 students in the class, each with different personalities and levels of academic advancement. The teacher needed to arrange Amy’s friends to sit with her along with someone she had never talked to. After a few weeks, she would move her talking friend to a new desk and replace with another student that Amy was unfamiliar with. At last, Mrs. Harberson decided to place Amy close to the door. Amy finally sat with her talking friend, Catherine, whisper friend, Sophia, and her new friend, Dylan. This way, Amy felt at ease, and at the same time could make friends with new people. Many times, the teacher had smart and caring Amy help mischievous or slower students. This was a win-win situation: Amy could help them while practicing talking with other students. Mrs. Harberson had a clever method: at the corner of the classroom, during break time, Amy could pick a friend to play with at this corner table.

One day during break time, some of the students were playing and having fun among themselves. Others were trying to finish up their incomplete homework. And one girl was quietly sitting in the corner, in her own little world. This girl was Amy. Amy took a game out of her backpack that she brought from home. She used her eyes to indicate to Sophia to come over. The teacher requested Amy to ask a new friend to join every time she played a game. This was challenging for Amy. Whenever she brought a game, many students wanted to join. Even the procrastinating students finished their homework in a hurry to join the game.  This game was very popular among the students lately, and Amy had already mastered the game at home. It caught the interest of three students, who came over and asked Catherine, “Can we join you guys?” Catherine said, “You need to ask Amy, this is her game. Amy, can John, Tom, and Ashley join this game?” Amy shyly nodded. The five of them started to play the game together, screaming and laughing. Even the teacher came over to see what was with all the commotion, and asked, “Who won?” Everyone shouted in unison, “Amy!” Amy blushed, very pleased and content.

Strategy: Everyday, arrange Amy and a few of her friends at the corner of the classroom to do homework, make crafts, and play games. This way, it is easier for Amy to get used to the environment and speak more easily. Amy can pick a couple of talking and whisper buddies to sit with her. This way, other students will be more likely to approach her. More friends can be gradually added to the group.  It may be a good idea to bring a popular game that Amy is good at. The teacher can walk around the classroom and participate from time to time, making comments or raising questions. Because Amy does not answer classmates’ questions, classmates do not talk to her. The teacher must tell students to talk to Amy and not to answer questions for her. 

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。