## Key Ideas > [!abstract] Core Concepts > > - **Explain, Frame, Reframe**: Three-step sequence that builds deep understanding rather than parrot responses > - **3-Second Wait Time**: Silent countdown prevents quick students dominating mass participation > - **100% Participation**: Everyone responds simultaneously, building energy and belonging ## Definition **Call and Response**: Technique where teacher says the first half of a statement and students complete it in unison, used for building knowledge, improving pronunciation, and creating energy and belonging in the classroom. ## Connected To [[Participation]] | [[Wait Time]] | [[Cold-Call]] | [[Culture of Error]] | [[Routines]] | [[Check for Listening]] --- ## Why use call and response? Call and response delivers benefits unavailable through other participation strategies. The technique is quick and equipment-free, requiring no setup and available anytime during a lesson. Unlike individual questioning where only one student responds, call and response creates high participation ratios as everyone responds simultaneously. This mass participation creates momentum and engagement that lifts classroom atmosphere whilst also supporting pronunciation of technical vocabulary in mathematics and science. Studies show call and response can lead to higher levels of active student responding (Heward, 1994; Carnine, 1976), promote higher on-task behaviour (Sutherland, Alder, & Gunter, 2003), and improve student engagement (Skinner, Pappas, & Davis, 2005). The technique enhances vocabulary acquisition (Godfrey et al., 2003) and supports learning for students with disabilities (Heward, 1994). Group practice through call and response also prepares students for individual responses (Lemov, 2015). ## Core technique: Explain, frame, reframe The difference between rote parroting and meaningful learning lies in the structure of your call and response sequence. Many teachers ask students to repeat just the ending: "Discrete data is countable. Now your turn, discrete data is..." leading to students responding "Countable." Students act like parrots, repeating without meaning or connection. The solution uses a three-step process. First, give the complete statement to provide full context: "Discrete data is countable." Second, ask for the ending to test recall: "Discrete data is..." with students responding "Countable." Third, ask for the beginning to test understanding: "What type of data is countable?" with students responding "Discrete data." Consider a mathematical formula. Begin by explaining: "The formula to work out the area of a triangle is half base multiplied by the perpendicular height." Then frame: "The formula to work out the area of a triangle is..." Finally, reframe: "Half base multiplied by the perpendicular height is the formula to work out..." For mathematical properties, explain that "The order in which we multiply does not matter because multiplication is commutative." Frame with "The order in which we multiply does not matter because multiplication is..." Then reframe: "Commutative means the order in which we multiply..." In science, explain that "Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose using sunlight." Frame: "Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide and water into..." Reframe: "The process that converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose is called..." ## Implementation: Wait time and signals Without structured wait time, call and response becomes dominated by the quickest students. Quick, confident students race to shout out the answer, destroying the moment of mass participation. The solution requires a silent countdown with clear signals. Ask the question, then conduct a silent 3-second countdown using fingers or mental count. Give a clear signal for response through hand gesture or verbal cue, then all students respond together. For example: "Discrete data is... [3-second pause with finger countdown] ... everyone" followed by students responding "Countable." Non-verbal signals provide clear visual cues and build anticipation. Point to students when it's their turn, use a 3-2-1 silent countdown on fingers, wave hands in conductor style for group responses, or raise a hand to signal when to end the response. ## Advanced techniques Several refinements extend basic call and response techniques. Building confidence before mass participation, use cold-call tactically first. After explaining "Discrete data is countable," cold-call individual students: "Discrete data is... Tom?" and "Discrete data is... Emma?" Then proceed to frame with everyone: "Everyone, discrete data is..." and reframe: "Everyone, what type of data is countable..." This ensures some students know the answer, builds confidence for group response, and provides models for other students. Include rehearsal by providing individual practice after group response. After completing the call and response sequence, instruct: "Turn to your partner. Person nearest the door goes first. Each says the full sentence." This provides additional opportunity to solidify learning. Use social norms when some students initially hold back. Get critical mass of students involved and praise them. Social pressure will bring reluctant students on board without confrontation. ## Integration with other strategies Call and response works alongside wait time, where the silent 3-second countdown prevents quick students dominating whilst non-verbal signals maintain statement flow. With cold-call, use call and response to prepare for individual responses, building confidence through group practice before individual accountability. For routines, turn routine steps into call and response statements. "When using whiteboards, we are..." receives "silent." "We don't..." receives "doodle." "When we finish writing, hover..." receives "face down." "We show our boards after..." receives "3, 2, 1." During explanations, call and response provides perfect group listening checks. "What did I say was the first step?" followed by group response maintains engagement during instruction. ## Starting call and response Begin small scale when introducing the technique. Choose a supportive class with good relationships who are willing to try new things. Choose a specific topic you're teaching soon and plan three call and response statements for that topic. Try with just those three statements using techniques above, then reflect on what worked and what didn't. Expand gradually if successful. Students may seem uncomfortable initially, as call and response can feel unfamiliar. Introduce confidently and enthusiastically, starting with easier, lower-stakes content. Model the energy and engagement you want and persist through initial awkwardness. Uneven participation occurs when some students remain reluctant to join. Use cold-call first to establish the correct response, praise participating students, keep expectations high, and address non-participation directly but supportively. Energy may fade over time as novelty wears off and standards drop. Maintain enthusiasm throughout lessons, vary delivery through speed, volume, and tone changes, and avoid overuse through strategic implementation. Keep statements fresh and relevant to the content being taught. When call and response seems to take too much time, the cause often lies in over-explaining or poor pacing. Practice efficient delivery, use established routine language, and limit the technique to key concepts only. Remember the time investment pays dividends in engagement and learning. ## References Carnine, D. W. (1976). Effects of two teacher-presentation rates on off-task behavior, answering correctly, and participation. *Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis*, 9(2), 199-206. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1976.9-199 Godfrey, S. A., Grisham-Brown, J., Schuster, J. W., & Hemmeter, M. L. (2003). The effects of three techniques on student participation with preschool children with attending problems. *Education and Treatment of Children*, 26(3), 255-272. Heward, W. L. (1994). Three low-tech strategies for increasing the frequency of active student response during group instruction. In R. Gardner, D. M. Sainato, J. O. Cooper, T. E. Heron, W. L. Heward, J. Eshleman, & T. A. Grossi (Eds.), *Behavior analysis in education: Focus on measurably superior instruction* (pp. 283-320). Brooks/Cole. Lemov, D. (2015). *Teach like a champion 2.0: 62 techniques that put students on the path to college*. Jossey-Bass. Rowe, M. B. (1986). Wait time: Slowing down may be a way of speeding up! *Journal of Teacher Education*, 37(1), 43-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002248718603700110 Skinner, C. H., Pappas, D. N., & Davis, K. A. (2005). Enhancing academic engagement: Providing opportunities for responding and influencing students to choose to respond. *Psychology in the Schools*, 42(4), 389-403. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20065 Sutherland, K. S., Alder, N., & Gunter, P. L. (2003). The effect of varying rates of opportunities to respond to academic requests on the classroom behavior of students with EBD. *Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders*, 11(4), 239-248. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266030110040501 ---