Types of Wait Time during Verbal Questioning in the Science Classroom

Abstract

Wait time is one of the elements recognized as being able to enhance thinking skills in the verbal questioning process. However, there is a need to focus on and evaluate how it is practiced in the teaching process. Results showed two types of wait time, which the authors named, wait time I and II. This paper discusses part of a larger study conducted to expose the wait time practices of three chemistry teachers’ verbal questioning process during the teaching of electrochemistry in the classroom. Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews. Result showed that wait time type I occurred in two phases. Phase I occurred between teachers’ questions and teachers’ reactions, and Phase II occurred between teachers’ actions and students’ responses. The time ranges for both phases were quite long. Wait time II was very short, since teachers would immediately give feedback to the tudents. It was found that teachers were not keen on allocating wait time due to the lack of cooperation from students, and the teachers usually ended up simply giving the answers to the questions.