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Description
This presentation will describe results of stimulated recall interviews on university teachers’ thoughts and feelings connected to utilizing wait time in observed classes. Reasons to use or not use wait time will be discussed, along with factors that determined its length, and unexpected results will be shared. Because Japanese students are sometimes reluctant to answer questions, this presentation provides insight into how teachers can help them speak more.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Themes were connected to teachers’ reasons for using wait time and their strategies to increase oral participation. Several factors influenced wait time lengths. Teachers felt that longer pauses could help less confident students respond, but they were also cognizant of not waiting too long and pressuring students. Some teachers were happy with any response, regardless of whether it was correct, and most empathized with less confident or reticent students. Results demonstrated a range of reasons why wait time was used. The context where it was used and for how long determined the likelihood of a student response.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
- Why do teachers use wait time?
- What effects do teachers’ wait times have on students’ oral participation?
Abstract section 5: References
Gass, S. M., & Mackey, A. (2017). Stimulated recall methodology in applied linguistics and L2 research (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315813349
Harumi, S. (2020). Approaches to interacting with classroom silence: The role of teacher talk. In J. King & S. Harumi (Eds.), East Asian perspectives on silence in English language education (pp. 37–59). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788926775-008
King, J. (2013). Silence in the second language classroom. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137301482
Abstract section 3: Content/method
Twenty stimulated recall interviews were conducted immediately following classroom observations of teachers at nine Japanese universities. According to Gass and Mackey (2017), stimulated recall involves using stimuli, such as an audio recording and observation notes, to remind a participant of a classroom event. It occurs within 24 hours of the class for participants to have accurate memory, thus increasing validity of the study. Interviews were transcribed, coded in NVivo, and analyzed qualitatively through thematic analysis.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Japanese students tend to remain silent after elicitations in university English classes (King, 2013). Wait time, which is the time a teacher waits for a student to respond after asking a question, is one pedagogical strategy teachers have employed when encountering student silence (Harumi, 2020). Previous classroom studies on wait time have largely involved student participants, but this research is original in studying teachers and using stimulated recall to learn about their cognitive processes connected to observed wait times.
| Title | Teachers Using Wait Time to Help Students Speak More |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |