From Your Instructional Coach….
Strategy of the Week #6: Wait Time
Wait Time: The pause between asking the question and soliciting a response.
Why is wait time important?
- Information processing involves multiple cognitive tasks that take time.
- Students must have uninterrupted periods of time to process information, reflect on what is said or observed, and consider what their response will be.
- Increased wait time results in longer student responses, more student questions and higher order responses.
- Increased wait time is especially beneficial for English language learners.
- In a typical classroom, average wait time is 1.5 seconds. Increasing wait time to 3 or more seconds increasing correct answers, decreases “I don’t know”, increases the number of students willingly volunteering an answer.
When to use Wait time:
- Before calling on a student
- Gives the teacher an opportunity to count the students who have been answering questions, and which students have not.
- Gives the teacher time to assess which students might answer a question correctly.
- After calling on a student
- Gives the student time to frame an answer.
- Gives the teacher time to think of what a comprehensive answer could be.
- After a student answers
- Gives the student time to elaborate or complete an answer.
- Gives the teacher time to think about whether the answer is correct, partially correct, or incorrect.
- Provides time for the teacher to frame a response.
If you are interested in tracking the use of wait time in your classroom, be sure to fill out the Partnership Interest Form below. I would love to support you!
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