How Teachers Can Make Sure Their Cold Calling Is Warm and Collaborative

During my 12 years as a social studies teacher, I saw how cold calling could transform passive classrooms into communities of active thinkers, especially when paired with a warm tone and strategies like wait time. I believe that cold calling isn’t a “gotcha” tactic, but actually a tool for inclusion.

Now, as an assistant principal and instructional coach, I still regularly encourage teachers to utilize cold calling. We talk through how to scaffold participation, normalize mistakes, and build classroom cultures where every student feels comfortable contributing. When done well, cold calling isn’t about pressure—it’s about presence.

Here’s how to make cold calling feel warm, collaborative, and supportive for all students.

Set the Culture First

Before cold calling becomes routine, students need to understand the “why.” If they believe they’re being randomly put on the spot, they’ll brace for embarrassment. I often encourage teachers to be explicit about the purpose of cold calling: It’s to give everyone a chance to think, share, and grow.

Consider kicking things off with a classroom conversation. Something like, “I’m going to call on people even if hands aren’t up. Not to catch you off guard, but because I believe everyone’s thinking matters here. We’re building a community of learners, and we’ll make space for all voices.” Or, “I cold call not to embarrass anyone, but because I believe we all have ideas worth hearing. I’ll always give you time to think, and I’ll never expect perfection.”

Framing cold calling this way sets a tone of inclusion and respect. When students understand that being called on is a normal, routine part of learning—not a spotlight or punishment—they’re more likely to authentically engage.

How you introduce cold calling matters just as much as how you implement it. If students believe they’re being selected to answer a question because they appear distracted, unprepared, or off-task, then they’ll associate cold calling with discipline. This creates a culture of fear and compliance, not trust and engagement. Avoid using cold calling reactively, especially to snap students back into focus or catch them slipping. While it might feel like a quick fix for disengagement, it erodes psychological safety and undermines your long-term goals for participation.

Embrace Wait Time and Collaboration

One of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety around cold calling is to make sure that students have time to think before responding. Build in wait time after asking a question; counting to five in your head is a solid baseline. Whiteboards and quick writes are other avenues that give students a beat to prepare. These adjustments remind students that they’re not being called on cold—they have time to process.

Supportive cold calling also happens in classrooms where students help each other. Teachers can set norms for group thinking with these simple methods:

• Let students “phone a friend” if they’re stuck.
• Follow up a cold call with “Anyone want to add or clarify?”
• Cold call after a think-pair-share. Let students rehearse their thoughts with a partner, then say, “Let’s hear what a few pairs came up with. Jalen, can you share your conversation?”

All of these shifts make cold calling feel more collaborative and less confrontational.

Normalize Imperfection

A major source of cold calling anxiety is the fear of being wrong in public. The fix? Affirming feedback. Create a culture where imperfection is expected and even valued. I recommend using phrases like these:

• “That’s a great place to start.”
• “I appreciate your thinking. Who can build on it?”
• “You gave us something to work with, thank you.”

I also recommend modeling curiosity when answers aren’t fully correct. Try something like “That’s interesting. Can we rethink that based on what we just read?”

When students see that being wrong isn’t worthy of ridicule—it’s just a normal part of learning—they begin to participate more freely, even when they’re unsure.

Cold Call with Warmth and Predictability

Tone and consistency matter. Cold calling works best when it’s routine, not random, and gentle, not jarring.

Make sure to warmly use students’ names. For instance: “Ava, I’d love to hear your take.” Smile, nod, and thank students for their contributions. And cold call for easy questions, too: “Marcos, can you read the directions aloud?” or “Imani, what did we do yesterday?”

If students know they can be called on at any time, but in a predictable and respectful way, the strategy becomes less threatening and more useful.

Gently Reassure Reluctant Students

Even with all the right structures, some students will still feel nervous about cold calling. That’s OK. The goal isn’t to eliminate discomfort entirely—it’s to scaffold participation over time. For students who struggle with cold calling, try the tips below.

• Give a heads-up: “I’m going to call on a few people who haven’t spoken yet, just to get us thinking.”
• Offer an out: “If you’re not ready, I can come back to you.”
• Privately reassure students who are especially anxious: Let them know you’ll start with simpler questions, or let them choose a partner who can help them with responses.

As students gain confidence and see cold calling as part of a safe learning environment, their comfort will grow.