Does Your Family Like to Complete Jigsaw Puzzles?
Speaking from personal experience as a special educator and a Montessori teacher, there are many ways to reach children who are not talking. By creating a relationship with all the students, you meet them where they are at. With selective mutism, you do not expect the child to respond, but rather build that connection in a nonverbal way. You give more instruction without words. At the three year old stage, as well as for older children, you prepare lots of practical life and sensorial opportunities. You do lots of my turn, your turn. Saying things like, “Watch me,” followed with, “Your turn.” You do not draw attention to the child’s lack of response.
When children are learning a new language they go about the environment speaking their native language. In fact, they often go through a silent period then start using the new language. During the silence Montessori educators accept the child’s current situation.
Selected mutism is silence for another reason, but Montessori educato
