It is equally important to wait for at least three seconds for wait-time 1 as it is for wait-time 2 (Hunkins, 1995 and Harris, 2000).
An extension of this concept is "deliberate silence," in which the teacher says nothing at all. To employ this method, be appreciative and thoughtful of the student’s response; consider what they have just said, but do not speak. What will happen? The student will probably keep speaking.
This strategy is difficult to do because we are sometimes uncomfortable with silence. The ultimate goal is to allow for sustained student thought. Research shows that when teachers wait for up to five seconds, they can expect to hear longer responses that involve more complex thought (Dillon, 1983).
Don’t accept "I don’t know" as a response to your question. Instead, ask further questions that will lead to at least a partial answer. Don’t be afraid to ask "Why?" of your students (Hunkins, 1995 and Harris, 2000).
Ask for a re-statement if you are not clear about the intended response, or if you detect confusion in the classroom. Try saying, "What do you mean?" or "Can you explain what you mean by that?" (Hunkins, 1995).
When student responses are too narrow, question them in a way that causes them to expand on their thinking. Ask, "So what types or kinds of X might there be?" or "When might this occur?" (Hunkins, 1995).
Look for balance in your classroom between volunteers and non-volunteers. Distribute pupil interaction evenly by recording your interaction with them. Chart student responses using a seating plan, and look for opportunities to involve other students when the first response opens the door to other opportunities.
For example, if the first question leads to something about skateboarding or mountain biking and someone in the class who is not volunteering is interested in these activities, redirect a question to that second respondent (Hunkins, 1995 and Harris, 2000).
Be sure to offer praise and encouragement. Better yet, use and give credit for a student’s question.
Use it as a springboard to another query. The purpose of these techniques is to give students the power to conduct their own learning (Hunkins, 1995).
Spend time in honest reflection about the lesson and how effective the questions were. Think about what worked, who was or was not involved, what questions students asked, and how often they asked questions (Harris, 2000).