School Communication Toolkit

Dear [Teacher Name],

I am reaching out regarding [Student Name] for the 2026-2027 school year. My clinical focus right now is transitioning to new grade.

[Student Name] may appear quiet, avoidant, or hard to engage when speech is expected, but this is better understood as a freeze response than defiance. In stressful communication moments, the nervous system can temporarily shut down access to speech even when the child knows the answer and wants to participate.

Because this student is moving into a new grade, we want to protect the first few weeks from unnecessary pressure. New classrooms can temporarily increase the freeze response even when a student was making progress before summer.

The most helpful school response is to lower pressure while still making communication possible. That usually means using brief wait time, accepting non-verbal responses when needed, and building opportunities for "brave talking" in small, manageable steps rather than asking for immediate full-volume participation.

If speech happens, the best response is to treat it as normal and keep the interaction moving. Big reactions, repeated prompting, or public praise often increase pressure the next time.

Thank you for partnering in a calm, supportive approach. Consistency across adults is one of the strongest predictors of progress.

Sincerely,
[Clinician Name]
[Practice / Contact Information]

[Student Name] Goal: Given a classroom situation where a teacher asks a direct question, [Student Name] will respond verbally to the teacher in 2 out of 5 occasions by October 1, 2026, 3 out of 5 occasions by January 15, 2027.