Primary teachers’ experiences of teaching pupils with selective mutism: a grounded theory study

ABSTRACT

Selective mutism (SM) is typically identified in early childhood and is characterised by a lack of speech in specific social situations, usually at school. This study interviewed 11 teachers and used qualitative methods to develop an explanatory framework to represent the lived experience of teaching pupils with SM. Interviews were analysed using grounded theory methods. The final theoretical framework captured nine categories. This included five key processes: categorisation of teacher beliefs; the development and change in beliefs through a process of scientific enquiry; teacher efforts to support pupils; measuring and monitoring pupil progress; management of teacher emotional responses, and four contextual factors; pupil characteristics, peer relationships, teacher self- identity and staff relationships. The findings highlighted a link between teacher categorisation of SM and pupil support. Implications of the framework for guiding research and educator practice to support pupils with SM are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Selective mutism
• grounded theory
• teacher perspective
• pupil support

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the teachers who gave their time to talk about their experiences.

This research was carried out at the University of Southampton and formed part of a UK Government funded programme for a doctorate in educational psychology awarded to the first author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Please contact the first author for a copy of the coding manual.