By Dr. Elisa Shipon Blum 

Helping children with Selective Mutism (SM) learn how to respond and initiate conversation is one of the most important skills in treatment. Many children can eventually answer a question when asked, but starting a conversation on their own is much harder. Without these initiation skills, everyday tasks feel overwhelming.

That is why the Selective Mutism Interview Goal/Game© was created.

This approach is part of the Social Communication Anxiety Treatment® (S-CAT®) model and uses the Social Communication Bridge® to guide children step by step. It turns the hard work of communication into a fun, structured, and predictable activity that lowers anxiety while building confidence.

💡 What is the Interview Goal/Game©?

The Interview Goal/Game© helps children practice the give and take of communication in a way that matches their stage of comfort.

Stage 1: Nonverbal Communication

  • Children may respond by pointing, nodding, or handing over an object. Later they can learn to hand a card or object to someone to initiate.

Stage 2: Transitional Communication

  • Children may whisper answers to a Verbal Intermediary®, use sounds through the Ritual Sound Approach®, or even play a pre-recorded message. They can also begin to whisper questions with support.

Stage 3: Verbal Communication

  • Children read answers or questions aloud using a card or script, and over time they begin asking and answering independently. Younger children often enjoy it as a game while older children and teens view it as a goal that helps them feel capable and proud.

🌱 Why It Matters

Children with SM often find initiating more difficult than responding. Without these skills, small tasks can feel impossible:

  • 🍎 Asking for help in class
  • 🚻 Saying they need the bathroom
  • 🍪 Requesting a snack or drink at a friend’s house
  • 📞 Making or answering a phone call
  • 🍽 Ordering food in a restaurant

If children do not learn how to initiate, these challenges can become harder over time. The Interview Goal/Game© gives them safe practice opportunities to succeed.

🎲 How It Works

The process is always tailored to the child’s comfort level, abilities, and interests and guided by a professional.

  1. Preparation First: Children know the questions and answers ahead of time. Visuals like cards, books, or journals reduce stress and help with predictability.
  2. Start Small: Play begins one on one with a familiar person before moving to others. Over time, the circle expands to less familiar people and eventually to small groups.
  3. Support Without Pressure: Adults give children extra time, keep eye contact minimal, and use positive reinforcement, like stickers, tokens, or high fives, to keep it fun.

📝 Real Life Examples

Stage 1A – Nonverbal Responding:

  • Emma cannot yet talk to her Aunt Kristy. Aunt Kristy asks, “What is your favorite pet?” Emma points to a card with a picture of a dog. She earns a sticker for responding.

Stage 1B – Nonverbal Initiating:

  • At the next visit, Emma hands Aunt Kristy a card that says, “What is your favorite color?” Aunt Kristy answers, and Emma points to red on her own card. Now Emma is learning how to initiate.

Stage 2A – Transitional Responding:

  • Emma whispers answers to her sister, who acts as a Verbal Intermediary® and tells Aunt Kristy what Emma said. Slowly, Emma begins whispering from farther away until she answers directly.

Stage 3B – Verbal Initiating:

  • Emma reads a question from her card: “What is your favorite holiday?” Eventually, she no longer needs the card and can ask directly.

🎯 Sample Questions and Topics

Simple questions

  • ✨ What is your favorite color?
  • ✨ Do you like cats or dogs better?
  • ✨ What is your favorite movie? 

Visual topics for non-readers

  • 🎨 Colors, shapes, letters, numbers
  • 🦁 Animals or familiar pictures

Advanced questions for readers

  • 📚 What book did you enjoy most?
  • 🏖 What was your favorite vacation?
  • 🎬 Who is your favorite actor?

🌈 Tips for Success

  1. ⭐ Begin with one person, not a group
  2. ⭐ Give plenty of warm up time
  3. ⭐ Let silence happen, no rushing
  4. ⭐ Use fun rewards to motivate
  5. ⭐ Always work with professional guidance

💬 Final Thoughts

The Selective Mutism Interview Goal/Game© is more than just a playful activity. It is a powerful strategy that helps children practice both responding and initiating so they can join in the natural flow of conversation.

Whether at home, in school, or in therapy, it empowers children to cross the Social Communication Bridge® step by step, building comfort, confidence, and independence along the way.

🌟 For some it is a game. For others it is a goal. For all, it is a bridge to communication.