You have to date received excellent answers. It is good that you are concerned.

You may also want to:

1. Contact her guidance counselor.

2. Contact her parents.

3. Speak to the girl and directly and in a kindly manner ask her what you can do to help.

I remember an oriental bright student who I had many years ago that was also very quiet and did his work very well. I am sorry to this day that I did not try to help him.He would up in a mental hospital. I do not know the ending but upon later thought I felt that pressure from home to do well in school was at least part of the reason.

The problem may lie with her family – if not in a cultural arena, in the interaction between members of her family. There is also the possibility that she is the victim of abuse. It might be worth mentioning to the school psychologist, or the district psychologist, to get an idea of how you should approach her.

If she just started becoming distressed ever since she came to school, maybe it’s something that’s not school related that she hasn’t gotten over yet or maybe she wants to keep her privacy.

If you really, really want to talk to her make an appointment after class and discuss it. If she doesn’t want to let her go.

I can think of little else that would make this girl more embarrsed than being singled out based on the way you describe her.

Just be nice to her.