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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!)
It sounds as if this silent period is much more than a language barrier. I would recommend a conference with the parents in which you can show them a video of the limited interactions you are seeing in the class and throughout school. You should also have available any and all notes about what he does when approached or spoken to by someone. Does he avert his eyes? Ignore the person? Does he lower his head or turn his body? Depending on how he handles these interactions, he may have something called selective mutism. It is an anxiety of social interactions and expectations that cause the individual to shut down or avoid response. This is something he can work through but he will need additional supports and therapy.