Job Discussion Forums

[Nagoyaguy]

Hi all;

Something has been troubling me this year at one of my schools. There are two students at the school who don't talk. I mean at all. Not to me, their teachers, other students, nobody. I did a little research and found that this happens in kids sometimes for a variety of reasons. Yet, I am at a loss how to approach the situation.

Case 1

A girl in 3rd year of JHS. to my knowledge, she has never spoken at school. She does homework, studies, writes tests, etc. But never talks. In English class, she writes down the answers in oral tests instead of saying them. The JTE says "she is shy" and that "she communicates with her face instead of talking". It is true, a little. She has friends at school and otherwise seems like a normal girl, just no talking.

Case 2

A boy in 1st year of JHS. In class, he sits with his hands on his lap, or on his desk, and stares into the back of the head of the student in front of him. When worksheets or tests are passed out, he leaves it in the centre of his desk, and doesnt even attempt to do so much as take a pencil out of his pencil case. He doesnt turn in any work, and the JTE doesnt seem to mind. I get the impression that he is a very lonely boy at school- always alone in the halls, tries to be as invisible as possible.

I wonder how best to help kids like this. SInce they dont fit into 'the system', they seem to get pushed to the side. I tried printing a little research material in the subject of selective muteness and giving it to the teachers, but they didnt appear too interested. I asked if they ever got counselling, and one teacher said about the girl, "yes, she went to a doctor". That's all- no follow up, no results, no course of treatment.

Advice? Hints?

[Sweetsee]

I find nothing unusual at all in the cases you described, for Japan.

I would try very hard to give them extra attention. You will be alone in your efforts but your kind words and attention may be the only warming ray of sunshine in those young peoples' lives.

I am currently working with one of the most severe cases I have ever encountered. She does everything the others do but all alone.

[chi-chi-]

Could they be borderline Autistic?
I am not being smart. I once taught at a Preschool with an autistic boy. He rocked and did not talk and had some other problems. This seems to be common in Japan and used to be in the States before they did away with the MMR vaccination (measles, mumps, rubella.) The reason this vaccination caused autism was from the high mercury and lead content. Some kids come out of it, some don't. I am not sure if they give this vaccination in Japan, but their diet does contain the highest amount of mercury in the world, which does contribute to birth defects, minamata disease (in the past) and autism.
Unfortunately I am not sure what to tell you to do...I do agree with these children being in the regular classroom, but I do think that teachers need to be properly trained as well as having a dialouge with the parents.
As far as these kids being older, well, autistic children do grow up. I am not sure what to tell you about this, either-I did take a Special Ed class, but it focused more on policies and legal procedures rather than specific help needed for autistic children. I wish I could be of more help, however you can do some research on autism online and try and get some resources.
Best wishes
Chi

[Glenski]

Do nothing except show kindness. Let the JTE and HR teacher (and anyone else in school) handle this. You will find many cases like this. Japan has pretty much no counselors in its schools, so teachers serve that purpose. If you cannot understand Japanese, and if you don't know anything about the home situation, play it safe and leave it alone.

[Nagoyaguy]

Thanks for the advice all.

I dont think the kids have learning disabilities, particularly the girl. It seems the problem is that nobody really knows what to do with them. As you said, the schools rarely have counsellors. My JHS has one part-time counsellor who comes in 2 after noons a week. This for a school of nearly 700 students.

I dont plan on rocking the boat too much. I dont have enough contact with the kids to know their whole situation, just what I see in my classes. I really feel sorry for them, they dont seem to be getting much out of school, and since they will be gone in a couple years the staff generally seems content tolet them slip through the cracks. As you (someone) said, kindness is the answer.

I am really worried for the boy, though. He literally doesnt move, it seems as if he is trying desperately to disappear inside of himself.

[spidey]

A difficult situation indeed...and all too common.

As far as the girl goes, if she is participating in class and is fulfilling all resposibilities as a student, I would tend to fall on the side of a physiological situation as opposed to a psychological one.

The boy on the other hand, seems unable to cope mentally with the stresses of the school dynamic. This too could be due to a physiological challenge and would be up to you through the powers of observation to try to figure out. If it is mental however, then taking baby steps to try to enter into his world may be a start. A simple acknowledgement of his existence may be a step in the right direction. Try to treat him like any other student and don't let yourself be intimidated by his particular or peculiar personality traits. If everyone expects him to act strange and be a loner, he no doubtedly will be.

Good luck

S

[David W]

Did you check their pulses?