TeacherServer.com
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!)
In my opinion, I think Grigor is shy when it comes to being around his classmates. Perhaps he feels uncomfortable still around people his own age in a different culture. A case study on this particular student might help, or perhaps the teacher meeting with Grigor for some one-on-one insight. Somehow, the teacher must get the student to trust them, and then they may start trusting classmates. If the teacher cannot make a connect to Grigor, then a counselor can get involved in order to see if Grigor will open up. If Grigor does not talk, then he can write down or draw how he is feeling. Ultimately, I think the best insight here is for Grigor to gain trust in his teacher, allowing the teacher to plan activities where he can become acquainted with the other students his age.