© Stephen Norwood – Happy Learners Info

Furtherthingstodo:• Empathisewiththechild.Olderchildrenandteenagersare

morelikelytotrustsomeonewhoempathiseswiththenatureoftheirphobiaandanxieties.

• Modelgettingthingswrongandlaughing.Showthechildthatweallmakemistakesandthatwecanoftenjustlaughthemaway.

• Encourageandsupportthechildtotrylotsofdifferentactivitiestobroadentheirexperiencesandbuildconfidenceintheirownabilities.

• Ensureallstaffincludingsupplystaffareawareofthechild’sneeds.Apoorlyinformedmemberofstaffcanunwittinglycauseagreatdealofdamagetothechild’sprogress.

TENTHINGSTODOGUIDES

Thesearedesignedtoprovideabriefintroductiononly.Furtheradviceandresourcescanbe

foundonthewebsite:

happylearners.info

TEN THINGS TO DO

to support

Selective Mutism

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Donotforcethechildtospeak.Anypressuretotalkcanbecatastrophicforachildwhoisstrugglingwithmanagingtheirphobiaoftalking.Insteadallowanyformofcommunicationthatthechildiswillingtouse.

Haveakeyworker.Establishatrustingrelationshipwiththechildbyhavinganadultwhocanmeetwiththemregularlyatleastonceaday.

Encouragenon-verbalresponses.Childrenwithselectivemutismmaybewillingtonodorshaketheirheadsinresponsetoclosedquestions.Keyworkerscanhelpencouragethisandteachthisexplicitlyinsafe1-1interactions.

Encouragesoundmaking.Activitiesthatinvolveclappingintime,playingamusicalinstrumentinresponsetoothersandanimalsoundmakingcanoftenworkwithselectivemutechildren.

Giveindirectinvitationstospeak.Usestatementsaboutyourselfthatinvitearesponsesuchas‘Myfavouriteice-creamflavourisvanilla.’andmoreexplicitlyutteroutloudponderancesofwhatthechildmightsay;‘Iwonderwhatyourfavouriteice-creamis?’

Buildindailytimeforclasschants,rhymesandactions.Provideregularopportunitiesforwholeclassandlargegroupsingingoffamiliarsongs.Donotdrawanyattentiontotheselectivemutechildregardlessofwhethertheyjoininornot.

Usesoundrecorders.Somechildrencanbenefitfrombeingabletorehearse,recordandre-recordthemselvesasanalternativetospeakinginfrontofothers.Initiallythisshouldbedonejustforthemtohear.Onceconfidentinusingsoundrecordingsgraduallyincreaseaudience.

Partnerwithfriends.Childrenwithselectivemutismareoftenmorepreparedtoengageincommunicationtasksifpartneredwithafriendtheytrust.Extendtoincludeathirdlesswellknownchildaddedtothepairing.

Mentoringyoungerchildren.Byworkingwithyoungerchildrentheselectivemutechildisplacedinasociallydominantcontextwheretheyarelesslikelytoexperienceanxietyoverspeaking.

Progressveryslowly.Itisextremelyimportantnottobuildonsuccessestooquickly.Consolidateandreinforceeverystepforwardanddonotassumethatthechildhasovercometheiranxietyofspeakinginthatcontext.Gradualdesensitisationofaphobiatakesalongtime!

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