The "Silent Period"

As a general ed teacher it may seem obvious that a child that has just moved from another country and speaks another language is not very chatty the first few days of school.  It is important to know that there is something called the "silent period" with ELL students.  Particularly the students who have recently moved from their home country or from a very different region.  This time period can last from a few days to a few months because all students will acclimate at their own pace to a new school, new community, new town and new culture in general.  The best thing you can do during this time is respect what the student must be going through and be sensitive to their situation while creating the safest and least threatening learning environment possible.  This is a great time to lean on your ESL teacher for advice on resources to help the student acclimate to your classroom so the student can continue to grow and learn.