Take a moment ... the power of a pause

10 August 2022

It is important to remember that students need time to process information during class, especially when they are asked to discuss or respond to any question.

Therefore, taking a moment, strategically, during your class to pause will help promote greater student engagement. A ‘pause’, or moment of silence, will help to stimulate student thought processes on a particular aspect of content.

Uninterrupted time is not a waste of time as students need it to refocus, process information, reflect on what has been covered, and think about their own response.

The duration of your pause needs to be ~3 seconds to make a difference, but longer pauses for thinking time can also be used.

Some strategic moments during class to pause are outlined in our The Power of a Pause Checklist and Tip Sheet. Try adding one of these to your next class.

If you would like to discuss how to effectively incorporate pauses into your class, please contact Teaching Quality (Teaching.Quality@lincoln.ac.nz).