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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!)
I would try having a meeting with both the student and parents to see if Grigor opens up more about his silence. I think I would also give a writing assignment about the students' feelings towards school and see if that leads to anything telling about Grigor's situation. I would also try encouraging Grigor's parents to sit in on a class to observe and see if Grigor's behavior changes positively or negatively. Another way to try to incorporate Grigor's cultural heritage from Bulgaria could be to have lessons on Bulgaria and have him bring in food, pictures, etc. to maybe help bring a comfort level back to school. It would also be nice to have students work in groups to help Grigor participate - it's important to pair him with kind, understanding students.