Teacher Wait Time – Conditions and Consequences in Contemporary Primary School Classes

• In Event: Reimagining School Effectiveness Research: Integrating Context, Culture, and Capacity for Sustainable Change

Abstract

Teacher wait time—the pause between a teacher’s question and a student’s response—is a key element of classroom discourse. Despite its relevance for learning, recent empirical evidence is limited. This study investigates the duration and types of teacher wait time in 35 primary science classrooms and examines whether wait time relates to student or classroom composition and predicts students‘ learning. Results show that wait time averaged 5 seconds and was most often accompanied by verbal prompts. While wait time did not predict overall achievement, it significantly benefited students with lower prior knowledge. Findings point to the role of wait time as a compensatory instructional tool and highlight its potential for promoting educational in classroom learning and instruction.

Author

• Jasmin Decristan, University of Wuppertal