UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Option B – wait time Wait time is the deliberate period of silence a teacher maintains after posing a question, giving students an opportunity to think and formulate responses. Research shows that increasing wait time often leads to more thoughtful answers, greater participation and improved quality of discussion. It signals that the teacher values reflection rather than instant guessing. Therefore, the practice described in the stem is called providing wait time.

Option A:
Reinforcement consists of verbal or non-verbal responses such as praise, nodding or rewarding that strengthen desired behaviours. It occurs after a student responds rather than immediately after the teacher’s question, so it is not the same as pausing to allow thinking time.

Option B:
Wait time directly refers to the purposeful silence following a question, during which the teacher resists the urge to talk or call on someone instantly. This pause encourages more students to attempt an answer and supports deeper cognitive processing. As the stem highlights allowing a brief pause for thought, this option correctly names the practice.

Option C:
Stimulus variation is the teacher’s use of varied voice, movement, media and activities to maintain attention. While it can keep students alert, it does not specifically denote the pause between a question and an answer. Consequently, it is not the best label for the behaviour described.

Option D:
Closure is the skill of bringing a lesson or segment to an orderly end by summarizing key points or linking to future learning. It occurs at the end of a teaching episode, not immediately after individual questions, so it does not fit the description given in the question.