Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         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!) There must be a reason Grigor is not speaking in class. It seems his English is progressing since he does speak English with his parents at home. I would suggest some "one on one" time with him. It is possible he will open up and let you know the reason for his silence when there is not an audience in the classroom. The reasons for his silence can stem from a variety of reasons such as fear of being made fun of or simply shyness. Regardless of the reason it is apparent Grigor needs intervention to come out of his shell. If speaking with him yourself is not successful, an intervention by a counselor may be in order. Another suggestion might be to bring his parents in for a family conference to find a possible reason for his silence. Since he is comfortable enough to speak at home, maybe bringing his parents to the school will prompt him to speak up.