Information For Teachers
How to Treat Selective Mutism: Information
for Teachers\Nursery School Teachers
Selective mutism usually manifests
itself in school or kindergarten, the most commonly seen clinical picture is
that of a child who speaks normally in the home with his immediate family, but
fails to speak to children and\or adults in the school or kindergarten setting.
This places the teacher at a juncture in which she can be a significant
agent of change. The teacher controls much of the environment in which the
SM flourishes and her active participation in treating SM is vital.
Researchers at the Selective Mutism Treatment and Research Center have
developed a comprehensive treatment method designed to assist the child in the
main settings in his life, with a three-pronged intervention – parents, teachers
and therapist, who simultaneously strive to assist the child to overcome his
difficulty. When all three sectors act in coordination, the effect is powerful.
While the therapy is ongoing, both the parents and the teachers will be carrying
out their own interventions, aimed at pulling the child out of the pit of
SM.
Here are the five major areas in which the teacher can prove
invaluable in her assistance to the child with SM:
Here I will give a few examples to illustrate each of the above:
Sometimes, when a child fails to speak, the educational staff feels that they
cannot have a communicative relationship with the child. Teachers are encouraged
and guided so that they build a warm, supportive, communicative, non-verbal
relationship which is a precursor of verbal contact between child and
teacher.
This social contact with the teacher is also a cornerstone in easing the
anxiety level of the child, as now the child can express to the teacher issues
that may be upsetting him, such as bullying, social and academic concerns. He
may request changes which could make him more comfortable at school, such as
sitting next to a friend. Another vital key to lowering the child's
anxiety level in school is that the staff does not put pressure on the child to
speak. The teacher must tow a fine line between not putting
pressure on the child to speak, while at the same time including him in all of
the ongoing social and academic activities.
The teacher can encourage social interaction with peers by putting the child
in small groups of children who seem a good match with him, by sitting him next
to a friend etc. He can be give a special position or lead a project in an area
he likes and at which he is skilled.
And finally, contact between the home and school is vital, including home
visits, utilizing the parents' understanding of the child, and thinking together
with the parents and therapist about elements which can make the child feel more
at home in school.
for Teachers\Nursery School Teachers
Selective mutism usually manifests
itself in school or kindergarten, the most commonly seen clinical picture is
that of a child who speaks normally in the home with his immediate family, but
fails to speak to children and\or adults in the school or kindergarten setting.
This places the teacher at a juncture in which she can be a significant
agent of change. The teacher controls much of the environment in which the
SM flourishes and her active participation in treating SM is vital.
Researchers at the Selective Mutism Treatment and Research Center have
developed a comprehensive treatment method designed to assist the child in the
main settings in his life, with a three-pronged intervention – parents, teachers
and therapist, who simultaneously strive to assist the child to overcome his
difficulty. When all three sectors act in coordination, the effect is powerful.
While the therapy is ongoing, both the parents and the teachers will be carrying
out their own interventions, aimed at pulling the child out of the pit of
SM.
Here are the five major areas in which the teacher can prove
invaluable in her assistance to the child with SM:
- 1. By developing a communicative relationship between the teacher and child,
and not exempting her from activities because of the SM
2. Helping to lower the child's anxiety level in school
3. Helping him to interact socially with other children
4. Encouraging the child's independence, assertiveness and self esteem in
school.
5. Working towards blurring the distinction the child has made between home
and school functioning.
Here I will give a few examples to illustrate each of the above:
Sometimes, when a child fails to speak, the educational staff feels that they
cannot have a communicative relationship with the child. Teachers are encouraged
and guided so that they build a warm, supportive, communicative, non-verbal
relationship which is a precursor of verbal contact between child and
teacher.
This social contact with the teacher is also a cornerstone in easing the
anxiety level of the child, as now the child can express to the teacher issues
that may be upsetting him, such as bullying, social and academic concerns. He
may request changes which could make him more comfortable at school, such as
sitting next to a friend. Another vital key to lowering the child's
anxiety level in school is that the staff does not put pressure on the child to
speak. The teacher must tow a fine line between not putting
pressure on the child to speak, while at the same time including him in all of
the ongoing social and academic activities.
The teacher can encourage social interaction with peers by putting the child
in small groups of children who seem a good match with him, by sitting him next
to a friend etc. He can be give a special position or lead a project in an area
he likes and at which he is skilled.
And finally, contact between the home and school is vital, including home
visits, utilizing the parents' understanding of the child, and thinking together
with the parents and therapist about elements which can make the child feel more
at home in school.