## Key Ideas > [!abstract] Core Concepts > > - **Reduces cognitive load**: Conversation and noise contribute to cognitive load, interfering with mathematical thinking > - **Essential during instruction**: Students must be silent during worked examples and independent practice for optimal attention > - **Golden silence protocol**: Establish silent start to independent work with no teacher questions for initial period ## Definition **Silence**: Absence of conversation and noise during instruction and practice to direct student attention to mathematical thinking and reduce cognitive load. ## Connected To [[Cognitive Load]] | [[Attention]] | [[Worked Examples]] | [[Check for Listening]] --- ## Cognitive rationale Conversation and noise contribute to [[Cognitive Load|cognitive load]] (Shield & Dockrell, 2008; Fisher et al., 2014). During [[Worked Examples]] and independent practice, students should be silent so [[Attention]] can be directed to mathematical thinking. Working memory can only process approximately four novel elements simultaneously (Cowan, 2001), and even "productive" conversation during these periods divides attention between social interaction and cognitive processing (Sweller et al., 2019). Classroom noise varies in its relationship to learning. Students discussing work may indicate they are thinking hard and constructing knowledge socially, but when discussion is not guided by the teacher, students often spread misconceptions such as "two negatives make a positive". Unstructured peer discussion often reinforces errors rather than correcting them. When students talk about their weekend, they are distracted from learning entirely. Off-task conversation during work time typically has several causes. The expectation of silent work may not be established or normalised. Content may be too challenging, causing cognitive overload that students escape through social interaction. Students may avoid thinking hard despite manageable challenge. Content may be too easy, causing boredom that students relieve through conversation. ## Golden silence protocol When students begin independent work, teachers should ensure they start in silence and sustain it for a period of time (Rosenshine, 2012). Making clear that questions will not be answered for the first three minutes (Wilson et al., 2019) establishes student responsibility; if students do not know something, they need to look back at worked examples. This approach produces several benefits. Students concentrate on mathematical content with focused attention. Teachers can observe and plan circulation without interruptions. Students learn to use available resources before asking for help, developing self-reliance. The calmer environment reduces anxiety and promotes concentration. ## Implementation in practice During instruction, teachers should secure silence before beginning any teaching, use [[Check for Listening|checks for listening]] to maintain attention, and address any noise immediately and directly. During practice, establishing the expectation of silence at the start of independent work prevents off-task conversation from developing. Teachers should avoid asking questions, making reminders, or telling jokes during silent work time, as these interruptions undermine the very silence they seek to maintain. Short breaks can be scheduled if needed during long practice sessions. Monitoring and maintenance require systematic observation to gather data about student understanding, quick responses to violations so standards do not slip, and positive reinforcement that acknowledges and appreciates productive silence. ## References Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. *Behavioral and Brain Sciences*, 24(1), 87-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X01003922 Fisher, A. V., Godwin, K. E., & Seltman, H. (2014). Visual environment, attention allocation, and learning in young children: When too much of a good thing may be bad. *Psychological Science*, 25(7), 1362-1370. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614533801 Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of instruction: Research-based strategies that all teachers should know. *American Educator*, 36(1), 12-19. Shield, B. M., & Dockrell, J. E. (2008). The effects of environmental and classroom noise on the academic attainments of primary school children. *The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America*, 123(1), 133-144. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2812596 Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. *Educational Psychology Review*, 31(2), 261-292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5 Wilson, M., Chizeck, H., Bassett, D., Buhl, E., Webb, R., & Kelty, R. (2019). *Teaching to mastery*. Ark Curriculum Plus.