Classroom layout Submitted by TE Editor on 22 January, 2008 - 12:00 The layout of your classroom can have a serious im act

on the !ay you teach and the !ay your students learn" This article loo#s at some of the basic oints that you can consider re$ardin$ the !ay you arran$e your classroom"

The im ortance of layout Some considerations Classroom layouts Conclusion

The im ortance of layout %hen you&re lannin$ your lessons do you ever thin# about the layout of the classroom' Sometimes it may be im ossible and im ractical to move the furniture around at all for many reasons includin$ the fact that in some schools the tables are bolted to the floor( )o!ever, even if the furniture is immobile, remember that your students aren&t, so you can thin# about ho! you !ant to $rou students and ho! you can use the s ace you have to your advanta$e" This may involve usin$ s aces at the front, or do!n the side of the classrooms, lettin$ students stand u or to sit on the tables to do certain activities" Some considerations *n an ideal !orld the classroom furniture !ould be li$ht and mobile so you could come in and +uic#ly rearran$e it to your li#in$" ,nfortunately, in the real !orld it is often heavy and the rooms themselves are too small to ma#e too many chan$es" )avin$ said that * do thin# it&s !orth thin#in$ about the classroom layout and doin$ !hat you can to ma#e it as a ro riate as ossible to your lesson" )ere are some +uestions to consider:

Can * see the faces of every sin$le student and can they see me' Can everyone see the board -if you&re lannin$ on usin$ it.' Can the students see one another' Can * move around the room so that * can monitor effectively'

/or me, the first +uestion is really im ortant" * substitute a lot of classes, so * don&t necessarily #no! all the students& names so it&s vital to be able to see them all" 0lthou$h it can seem li#e an e1tra effort and a !aste of time * find that s endin$ the first t!o minutes of a class movin$ the furniture so that * can see every sin$le face is time !ell invested" 2ou can usually $et the students to hel you and as lon$ as you $ive the instructions in En$lish it&s all $ood lan$ua$e ractice( 3o!, *&d li#e to loo# at a fe! ty ical classroom layouts"

Classroom layouts

The horseshoe Tables in a horseshoe or three sided s+uare sha e" This is $reat if you&re doin$ board !or# and s ea#in$ activities" 0ll the students !ill be able to see you, the board and each other and you !ill have a lovely s ace in the middle of the horse shoe and around the outside to monitor" *f you have a very lar$e class you can $et a similar effect by havin$ one horseshoe inside another and usin$ double ro!s" Chairs in a circle Tables ushed to the !alls and 4ust the chairs in a circle" 2ou can sit in the circle !ith your students" *f they need to !rite at certain times of the lesson they can either $o to !or# at the tables facin$ the !alls around the outside or they can rest a folder on their #nees and stay in the circle" The circle formation is $reat for many $ames, $rou discussions, !elcomin$ your students at the be$innin$ of the class, doin$ the re$ister and really tal#in$ to your students" Traditional ro!s 0lthou$h many schools still use traditional ro!s, as you can ac# in lots of eo le in a small s ace, there are very fe! advanta$es for a lan$ua$e teacher" *f students are sittin$ in t!os you have immediate airs made for air !or# but as you !ill robably !ant to chan$e the airs at some oint this is only a limited advanta$e" *f you can&t $et around behind the students to loo# at their !or# it can be really difficult to monitor" *f you have to !or# in this layout thin# about the s aces at the front of the class and the aisles bet!een the ro!s" /or min$le tas#s ma#e use of these" 5oo# for alternative s aces for certain $rou tas#s, such as the corridors, lay$round or halls" 3ested tables in $rou s 3ested tables are obviously $reat for small $rou !or# and ro4ect !or#" *t can be difficult to start classes !hen students are already sittin$ on small tables as some students !ill have their bac#s to you" *f ossible have the students sit so they&re side on to you and remember to move around the classroom !hen you need to $ive instructions or chan$e activities" Sur rise your class by o in$ u at different laces around the class"

Conclusion * su$$est you try as many classroom layouts as you can to see ho! you feel most comfortable" E1 eriment !ith the layout if ossible" *f you really can&t chan$e ho! your classrooms are set u , then do s end time thin#in$ about ho! you can vary !here your students sit and !here you osition yourself in the room too" The classroom dynamics can im rove dramatically !hen you chan$e the layout, it&s a matter of e1 erimentin$ and seein$ !hat !or#s best for you and your students and it&s somethin$ that you may !ant to ta#e into consideration at the lesson lannin$ sta$e" This article !as first ublished on the 6ritish Council&s 5an$ua$e 0ssistant !ebsite

%ritten by Jo 6udden, 6ritish Council, S ain