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Wait Time: Making Silence Work for You
A simple pause that boosts thinking, deepens responses, and gives every student space to succeed.
Steve White
June 30, 2025
WHAT’S THE STRATEGY?Wait time is the deliberate pause a teacher gives after asking a question — before calling on a student or moving on. Just 3–5 seconds of silence can significantly increase both the quantity and quality of student responses. The technique is simple:
There are two key types:
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WHAT TO WATCH FOR
✅ Students thinking more deeply and offering longer answers
✅ Quieter students beginning to engage more
✅ You resisting the urge to jump in early (harder than it sounds!)
✅ Less repetition of “I don’t know” as students realise silence is safe thinking space
Pro tip: Try silently counting “1…2…3…” in your head to keep yourself from rushing.
WHAT TEACHERS SAY
“I always used to fear silence — now I see it as a sign that thinking is happening.”
“Game changer. Especially when you revisit and re-ask questions later in the lesson.”
REFLECT AND TRY
✅ Reflect:
Do you usually give students enough time to think after asking a question — or do you fill the silence too quickly?
✅ Try:
In your next lesson, deliberately count to 3 in your head after asking a question. See what happens when you wait — and what happens when you don’t.
✅ Extra challenge:
Try using “Wait Time 2” — give a short pause after a student’s answer to let them (or their peers) add more, without rushing to respond.
Until next time,
One idea. Five Minutes. Real impact.
P.S. If this sparked an idea, forward it to a colleague — or send them to cpdin5.com to sign up for weekly 5-minute CPD.
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