Self -Selected Mutism by Courtney Groeniger https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z Exceptional children en-us 2018-02-15 17:52:33 UTC 2018-02-15 17:57:25 UTC hello@padlet.com What is Self-Selective Mutism? Self-Selected Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by the child’s inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school. These children are able to communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed. Self-selected mutism is caused by being shy, having anxiety, afraid to embarrass themselves in public, and want to be alone and not talk with friends or others. Self-selected mutism can be caused by a traumatic experience for the child or SDI, sensory processing disorder. Children also may have expressive language abnormalities and language delays. cagroeniger1 https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232048780 2018-02-15 17:54:08 UTC https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232048780 1. Bring a safe person (someone who the child will speak to) to the non-speaking atmosphere. Encourage family members, parents and siblings to come into the non-speaking atmosphere (school). Have them engage in conversations and then sequentially remove the “safe person” from the non-speaking atmosphere. 2. Incorporate communication skills into the lesson plan. Provide the child with tips on how to speak in front of others as a part of a classroom exercise 3. Set small goals for the child and keep them reasonable. Help him or her create goals for communication which are both non-threatening and reasonable. For example, have the child ask one question per day and as their level of comfort increases, progressively increase the amount of questions cagroeniger1 https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232049494 2018-02-15 17:55:16 UTC https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232049494 1. https://www.anxietybc.com/parenting/my-anxiety-plan-selective-mutism This website if for parents to help their children who are self-selected mutes. I found this resource helpful because it engages the parent with the child’s struggle and has the parent teach the child about what they are going through. There are many strategies on this website but the one I found would be most helpful was brave talking exposure. This exercise helps the child warm up and fell comfortable. Simply playing a game can be used for this exercise and asking simple questions to the child and praising them is needed. 2. https://www.selectivemutism.org/sample-page/im-a-parent/This website helps parents cope with self-selected mute children and strategies that they can use to work with their children. cagroeniger1 https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232049888 2018-02-15 17:55:53 UTC https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232049888 1. https://www.education.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/SelectiveMutism.pdf I thought this website was helpful because it listed many resources for teachers that can help with having a selected mute in their classroom. 2. http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-speech-disorders/88611-teaching-tips-for-a-student-with-selective-mutism/ This website helps teachers with strategies for self-selected mute children and how they can become more verbal in class. cagroeniger1 https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232050124 2018-02-15 17:56:18 UTC https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232050124 https://selectivemutismcenter.org/whatisselectivemutism/ https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Selective-Mutism/ cagroeniger1 https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232050551 2018-02-15 17:56:58 UTC https://padlet.com/cagroeniger1/oqd9z331u78z/wish/232050551