Wait Time
Overview
Wait time, or think time, of three or more seconds after posing a question increases how many students volunteer and the length and accuracy of their responses. Having more time to think also increases students' Motivation to respond and supports their Short- and Long-term Memory. Waiting after hearing a student's response has also been shown to improve the quality and variety of teachers' questions, in particular increasing the number of questions that require higher-level thinking.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch this short clip on wait time in an elementary classroom. This teacher waits at least three seconds after posing a question on inferencing and once she is sure her students know to use the time to think versus raising their hands with an answer.
Design It into Your Product
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
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Teachers sharing text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections models this schema building.
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Reading aloud books about skills children are learning provides another model for their development.
Providing students a voice in their learning is critical for making learning meaningful.
