A critical analysis of the role of wait time in classroom interactions and the effects on student and teacher interactional behaviours

Journal article

Extending the pauses between a teacher asking a question and a student responding, or the pauses following a student's response (wait time), has been recommended as a way of improving classroom learning. Drawing upon the Conversation Analysis literature on classroom interactions alongside extracts of classroom interactions, the relationship between these pauses and the interactional behaviour of teachers and students is examined. Extended wait time is structurally built in to classroom interactions because of tight control over who can speak when, encapsulated within the IRF framework. Extending wait time can lead to a variety of changes in the norms of classroom interaction. This paper uses the structures of interactions in formal classrooms to explain many of the previous findings relating to the extension of wait time. However, we also show that different uses of extended wait time lead to different interactional norms and maintaining extended wait times may not be desirable. Consequently, we argue for a more nuanced understanding of wait time, desired student behaviours and the interaction of the two.

Authors: Ingram, J; Elliott, V

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Journal: Cambridge Journal of Education
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 37-53
• Publication date: 2015-03-10
• Acceptance date: 2015-01-13
• DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2015.1009365
• EISSN: 1469-3577
• ISSN: 0305-764X
• Language: English
• Keywords: wait time; interactional strategies; conversation analysis; classroom interaction
• Subjects: Education