Technique 25: Wait Time

(Part of Chapter 4: Engaging Students in Your Lessons)

This is a relatively well-known technique in which the teacher waits a few seconds after asking a question and before taking an answer.  Research has shown that if you wait a few seconds before taking an answer, you get richer, better answers, from more students.

You might think this wastes valuable time in the classroom, but the author contends that you may actually save time, as you get high-quality answers earlier.

The author suggests narrating the wait time sometimes.  E.g., "I'm waiting for more hands.", or "I'm seeing people thinking deeply and jotting down thoughts.  I'll give everyone a few more seconds to do that.", or even "I'll start taking answers in ten seconds."

"The point is that top teachers use their narration of the interim period during their wait time to incent and reinforce the specific behaviors that will be most productive to their students during that time.  They are teaching even while they are waiting."

My response:

I like this, and do this quite a bit.  It seems to work for me.