Creating a Safe Space for Speech

Silence in the classroom is often a confidence issue, not a language barrier. Take Lenny,

a five-year-old who understands everything but barely speaks. He is stuck in a

vicious cycle of speech anxiety. The fix isn't drilling grammar, it is hacking his

environment. We put him in tiny, safe groups with friends and use scaffolding to expand

his short sentences without correcting him. We give him a crucial job,

like material manager, so speaking becomes necessary to play. We even lean into his home languages

because a strong foundation there actually accelerates learning the new one.

It is not about forcing speech, it is about creating safety.