For Primary and Post Primary Teachers and SNAs

Children who have selective mutism have developed a specific fear of talking to certain people. They can talk happily and freely to anyone in an inner talking circle – usually a few close friends and family members with whom they feel comfortable – but find themselves frozen and unable to speak to anyone else. This fear has nothing to do with being treated badly or their personal feelings. Children with selective mutism are often desperate to please their teachers or grandparents, for example, but still find it impossible to get their words out. The more we put pressure on them to talk, the greater their discomfort, so the more they dread and try to avoid talking all together.

How can you help? This fear develops in the same way as any other phobia and can be overcome through openness, understanding, reassurance and support to gradually face the fear in exactly the same way that we would help children work through other childhood fears – one small step at a time, at the child’s pace.

The aims of this webinar are:

To understand what selective mutism (SM) is and how it develops.

To recognise different presentations of SM in children.

To be familiar with the small-steps progression which is key to providing effective support.

Facilitator Bio

Edmond Scannell is an Administrative Principal with over 25 years of teaching both Mainstream and Special Needs.  He is a Certified eTutor and a FRIENDS Youth Resilience accredited facilitator with NEPS.