A mistake often made by teachers is not giving enough wait time after they ask a question. You will typically want to give about 5 to 10 seconds of wait time after you've asked a question to your students.

This would mean asking the question and giving your students an opportunity to process the question and process an answer.

Students with special needs may need even more than 5 to 10 seconds of wait time. When we give our students enough wait time, we allow them the opportunity to give a good answer.

Don't be nervous about silence.

Silence in the classroom can often be a very powerful teacher,

and my students begin to learn that they will be given the opportunity to think and process the questions that the teacher is asking.