Special needs · Selective mutism

Ways to take part long before speaking

Pencil Spaces lets students with selective mutism take part without speaking, through chat, sticky notes, polls and the board, so pressure stays low while confidence grows.

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Area

Communication and interaction

Who it helps

Children and young people with selective mutism, tutors, schools, speech and language therapists and families

What lessons need

No pressure to speak, non-verbal ways to join in, small steps, trusted adults

In Pencil Spaces

6 features available today

Part of

Special needs, need by need

What do students with selective mutism need from an online lesson?

Selective mutism is an anxiety condition. A child who speaks freely at home can’t speak in certain places or with certain people. Pressure to talk makes it worse, so lessons need ways to join in without speaking.

Talk by typingChat · AvailablePrivate messages to the teacher can be a first step, long before speaking in front of anyone.
Answers on the boardSticky Notes · AvailableSticky notes carry each author’s name, so a typed idea counts as much as a spoken one.
A tap in place of a wordTimers & Polls · AvailablePolls let a student answer with a tap, with no voice and no face needed.
Camera when readyVirtual Backgrounds · AvailableBlurring the background can make a camera feel less exposing, and camera off is fine too.
A hand without a voiceRaise Hand · AvailableRaising a hand says “I have something” without saying it.
Small, familiar groupsBreakout Rooms · AvailablePair the student with a trusted friend in a small room.

The features behind it

Why can online lessons be hard for students with selective mutism?

Live lessons often run on talk: answer this, read that aloud, unmute and say hello. For a child with selective mutism, each request can freeze them.

Being asked why they won’t talk, or being praised loudly for speaking, can make it harder. Progress comes in small steps, with no pressure.

What does a lesson look like in Pencil Spaces?

The tutor never asks the student to speak. She asks questions as polls, and the student taps answers.

Over several lessons, the student starts typing in chat, then writing on the board. One week, a whispered word comes through the microphone, and the tutor carries on as if nothing unusual happened.

How do therapists use Pencil Spaces with students with selective mutism?

Counselors and speech-language pathologists build communication step by step, from nodding and pointing to typing, whispering and speaking. Pencil Spaces offers every step: reactions, polls, chat, sticky notes, then voice.

Engagement Insights measures speaking time and turn-taking across lessons, so the team can see small changes over time. A trusted parent or classmate can join the Space, a common first step in bringing new people in.

Tips for teaching students with selective mutism online

Take away all pressure to speak, and tell the student so.
Offer non-verbal ways to answer from the first lesson.
Don’t make a fuss when the student does speak.
Work with the family and any therapist on small, planned steps.
Keep the same teacher and Space so trust can build.

Good to know

Pencil Spaces gives students ways to take part. The plan for small steps toward speaking comes from the family and any therapist involved.

Questions people ask

Can a child with selective mutism do online lessons?

Yes. Many find online lessons easier because they can take part without speaking. In Pencil Spaces, students answer through chat, polls, sticky notes and the board, and the camera can stay off or blurred.

Should the teacher ask the student to speak?

No. Pressure to speak usually makes selective mutism worse. Offer non-verbal ways to answer, let progress come in small steps and follow any plan agreed with the family or a therapist.

Can the student message only the teacher?

Yes. Chat includes private one-to-one messages as well as group chat, and the history is saved. Programs can turn private messaging on or off by role with Feature Toggles.

Does selective mutism mean a child has a learning difficulty?

No. Selective mutism is an anxiety condition, not a learning difficulty. Many children with selective mutism learn at the level of their peers when they have ways to show what they know.