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  Case: Silent Period
Grigor is in my 4th grade classroom. He came to the US last year with his family from Bulgaria. He was in 4th grade at our school last year as well. He was retained in 4th grade because he did not develop his English language skills. I learned about a "silent period" that children go through when they learn a new language. My guess is that Grigor is in the silent period. But it does not make sense to me that he would be in the silent period for almost two years. He does not say anything in class. He does not socialize with his classmates either. He can read and write in simple English though. His parents tell me that he acts completely normal at home and he is able to communicate with English speaking people at home when they have guests. This is really puzzling. I have to find a way to communicate with Grigor and discover what is holding him back from communicating with people at school. I need some help.
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
This is a difficult situation. Like you say, I find it odd that he would be in a silent period for two years. Maybe, because he did experience a silent period when first transitioning to the US, he doesn't have friends or feels like he is the odd one out. In my opinion, I would pick a student or two to speak with and ask them to befriend Grigor. Additionally, I would, as the teacher, may a real effort (not saying that you have, but a really, really big effort) to get to know him, his family, his interests, and the culture from Bulgaria. I think this is the only way to create a connection with him to get him to open up at school. Additionally, you may want to consult a counselor.