Description

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This story is true. I have only changed the names of the people. Selective mutism is a difficult problem to "cure," but with this student, we were very successful-no easy task with this particular type of condition. I had told the student's mother and teacher at the time, I was going to eventually write a book about our experience and have finally gotten around to it. Selective mutism is defined as failure to speak in specific situations despite being able to speak in other situations and is typically a symptom of an underlying anxiety disorder. It is often found at its highest and most concerning level during primary school years when students are being taught reading and assessments are needed to be made. It can therefore be very difficult for teachers to evaluate students with selective mutism. School counselors, parents, and teachers know how difficult a problem it can be for a student to solve. "Joseph, Froggy and Mrs. Slattery" is based on a real student, teacher, and school counselor and tells the story of how "Joseph" was helped to overcome his condition by the end of first grade.