By Jafet Shikongo
Uugwanga
THE teaching and learning process of any subject is primarily for the benefit of the learners and not for the teacher. According to McLeod (2012), teaching cannot occur without learning. Therefore, to pose questions to the learners during teaching and learning process is an immediate way to assess the learners’ level of understanding and challenge them to think critically and logically about what they are learning (Department for Education and Skills, 2004). To think critically and logically, learners need time to analyse and evaluate the question before they would respond. This period is referred as “wait time”.
This article attempts to define “wait time” in-depth and provides an appropriate timeframe that should be given to the learners before responding to the question(s) in the classroom. In addition, it critically and objectively discusses the importance of wait time in the teaching and learning process.
What is wait time?
Wait time is a concept of instructional variable that was introduced by an American science education innovator, Mary Budd Rowe in 1972 (Stahl, 2009). According to Rowe (1972), cited in Stahl (2009), wait time is a short period of silence that teachers normally give to the learners to think about the possible answers without being interrupted. In a similar view, wait time is a silence time for individuals to think about the required answers before the teacher speaks again (Dalton et al., 2006). Wait time is interchangeable to think time (Floyd & Merrifield, 2010).
Feller and Lotter (2009) categorise wait time into two phases (wait time I and wait time II). According to Feller and Lotter (2009), wait time I, is when a teacher asks a question and allow time so that all the learners in the class can think about the answer. Whereas, wait time II, is when the teacher gives him/herself time after a learner speaks (respond); whether to agree or not, or to rephrase it and/or provide more specific feedback (Hill, 2005).
Appropriate timeframe of wait time
Time management in the classroom is important simply because it facilitates the best conditions for learning (Gabrielse, 2010). I strongly support and concur with Stahl (2009), who states that teachers should allocate a timeframe to the learners to think before responding to the question(s). The appropriate timeframe given to the learners is three to five seconds (Hill, 2005; Cotton, 1988; Department for Education and Skills, 2004; Staver, 2007; Feller & Lotter, 2009; Stahl, 2009; Dalton et al., 2006). Barry (2012) believes that for higher order and more difficult questions, learners need to be given about seven to 10 seconds to think before responding to the questions.
Importance
of wait time
The importance of wait time in the teaching and learning process is that it significantly improves learners’ achievement, engagement and participation (Stahl, 2009; Cotton, 1988). Gabrielse (2010) indicates that wait time gives learners a chance to think the answers and allows the teacher to assess learners’ knowledge and conceptual understanding. According to the research that was conducted by Rowe (1972), as cited by Dalton et al. (2006), wait time “has a strong positive effect on students’ answers; students’ responses were longer and more accurate; the number of “I don’t know” answers and no answers were decreased; and more students volunteered appropriate answers and test scores were increased” (p. 1). In a similar view, Stahl (1994) states that wait time can contribute significantly to the improvement of teaching and learning of subjects.
In addition, wait time increases the number of higher cognitive answers (generated by the learners) and questions (generated by the teachers); and increases the amount and quality of evidence that learners give to support their conclusion (Cotton, 1988).
For example, a science teacher would ask the learners: “What is air pollution?” Then give the learners three to five seconds to think about the answer(s) without interrupting them. In doing so, learners’ cognitive level of thinking is enhanced and are able to provide multiple but relevant and meaningful responses. After responding, teacher gives three to five seconds before rephrasing the response or giving the correct answers (Hill, 2005). In doing so, it decreases the quantity and increases the quality and variety of his/her follow-up questions (Stahl, 2009). In addition, teachers’ strategies of questioning tend to be more specific and flexible (Stahl, 2009).
Conclusion
I believe that every committed and dedicated teacher is always expecting good and impressive results from his/her learners. This aim can merely be achieved and reached when we (novice and veteran teachers) are giving our learners time to think (wait time) the possible answers to the questions posed without interrupting them. Similarly, teachers should give themselves time to oversee and assess the answers given (by the learners), so as to rephrase them or provide learners with correct answers. In doing so, learners’ performance and conceptual understanding are enhanced.
* Jafet S. Uugwanga is the Head of Department for Mathematics and Science at Dr. Frans A Indongo PS. He is the initiator and coordinator for Khomas Regional Maths & Science Quiz. Uugwanga holds a Masters Degree in Science Education from the University of Namibia and is a recipient of Namibia Government Scholarship & Training Programme (NGSTP) 2012/13.