Educators, at times, encounter situations when they ask students questions after teaching, only to be met with silence, or when they assign group exercises or activities and students do not respond to their instructions for what feels like an extended period. These moments of silence can be discouraging; however, it is crucial to recognise that silence does not necessarily indicate students’ disinterest or lack of understanding or participation. The reasons why students remain silent in the classroom are multifaceted. Some students may not feel comfortable expressing themselves verbally in a classroom setting, while others may have low confidence or struggle with non-native English proficiency. Additionally, some students may have difficulty making sense of the instruction or task, or need more time to think (Ollin, 2008). All these factors can contribute to a lack of student engagement and active participation in class activities and necessitate a different approach to listening and interpreting the meaning conveyed in silence (Lave & Wenger, 1991).
Student disengagement can manifest in various ways, and one prominent indication is the absence of response, which holds particular significance in classroom activities that prioritise verbal communication. Silence becomes problematic when it is misconstrued as disengagement or a lack of participation.
Adopting a different way of listening can revolutionise the classroom learning environment, especially incorporating written and visual mediums into learning activities. Interactive tools and learning technologies, such as Padlet, Mentimeter, Kahoot, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, can provide alternatives to using voice and opportunities for students to use the chat or tools to input their answers or responses to questions. Understanding the different meanings that come from students’ silence allows the educator to respond appropriately, as silence can have different interpretations, such as students being tired if the session is the last session of the day, students going through challenges, needing more time to process information or having not understood the task.
