Research On Kindergarten Teacher's Wait-Time Behaviors In Collective Teaching Activities In Science Area

Teachers' wait time behaviors play significant roles in children's cognitive development and response quality,as well as in teachers' ability of teaching.However,a great deal of research has been centered on the time spent on waiting,with little research focusing on teachers' wait time behaviors.Therefore,this research was conducted around teachers' wait time behaviors in collective teaching activities in the field of science.To explore the status of teachers' wait time behaviors in collective teaching activities in scientific area and its differences under diverse wait time condition,this research investigated 17 kindergarten teachers from junior,middle and senior class,and collected 260 teachers' wait time behaviors by adopting Non-Participant Observation and using self-edited analysis tools to conduct frequency statistics and cross contingency analysis on 260 teachers' waiting behaviors through SPSS,supplemented by interviews.The results showed:(1)Teachers showed consciousness of waiting for answers,mainly in actions of waiting,calling,and guiding.The waiting time showed a centralized trend,with the general wait time of 3-8 seconds showed the highest frequency;(2)Under different types of questions,teachers 'single waiting behaviors showed significant differences;when it comes to individual questioning and group questioning,teachers' waiting intentions,single waiting behaviors,diverse waiting behaviors,and waiting time showed significant differences;In different classroom atmospheres,teachers' single waiting behaviors,diverse waiting behaviors and waiting time show significant differences.In facing of children with different ages,the teachers' single waiting behaviors show significant differences.Studies have also found several problems that teachers have not seized the proper moment to wait for answers,that teachers did not adopt reasonable wait-time behaviors with different type of questions,that teachers lack attention to individuals,that waiting behaviors are severely restricted and becoming meaningless in a negative and antagonistic classroom atmosphere,that compared with senior classes,the wait-time behaviors in middle and junior classes need to be further improved.The research suggests that teachers can adopt waiting strategies to improve the effectiveness of wait time,involving being flexible in seizing the proper moment to wait for answers,adopting reasonable wait-time behaviors based on different types of questions,giving more attention to individual children,and striving to create a positive classroom atmosphere,improving the rationality of wait-time behaviors in junior and middle classes.