MODULE2: ASSIGNMENT 1

SHILPA NAIR
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 PROMPT 1: Classroom arrangement

Teaching English as a second language can be challenging. Teachers are required to

have excellent classroom management to ensure effective successful learning.

Effective classroom management requires awareness, patience, good timing,

boundaries, and instinct.

It is a conventional notion about classroom management that it only means

managing discipline in classroom. According to Juile Sanford, Edmund Emmer and

Barbara Clements, (cited: Jones and jones,1981:pg-3) “The concept of classroom

management is broader than the notion of student discipline. It includes all the

things the teacher must do to foster student involvement and cooperation in

classroom activities and to establish a productive working environment”.

The arrangement of desks and chairs is important to any classroom. The

arrangement should allow for easy access to the instructor and materials, equal

participation opportunity for members and ability to implement behavioral

management.

Studies have shown that students who are in the front rows are typically more

attentive and actively participate in classroom activities than those in the back.

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 Seating arrangement has also been shown to impact how teachers communicate

with their class and how they communicate with their peers. A teacher using a

traditional seating arrangement where students sit in rows and behind one another

can create a barrier between teachers and students.

According to Hue Ming-Tak and Li Wai- Shing (cited: Classroom management:

Creating a positive learning environment. 2008: pg-49) “a good seating arrangement

is one which facilitates specific learning tasks and activities and communicates a

teacher’s beliefs about learning and teaching”

Therefore, I believe that a classroom seating arrangement is very important to

ensure uninterrupted teaching experience that enhances active class discussions

and participation.

A traditional classroom is designed with rows of seats, all facing toward the front of

the classroom. Orderly rows or desk rows are the most traditional seating

arrangement. In this arrangement desks are placed several rows facing toward the

front of the classroom. This arrangement is perfect for test taking situation and also

good for giving instructions to the students.

There are some advantages to orderly row seating. The teacher has a clear view of

all the students and the students can also see the teacher. Some activities are suited

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 to this kind of seating arrangements, such as explaining a grammar point, watching

a video or PowerPoint presentation or using the board or overhead projector,

practice of certain kinds of language practice.

Semi- circle:

Semi-circle seating arrangement consists of a few desks touching each other placed

in a semi -circle shape. All the desks are faced in front of the classroom allowing

both the teachers and students to see each other clearly. By setting the classroom

to a semi-circle seating arrangement the teacher mainly focuses on direct

instruction and collaborative learning. Students can do different types of classroom

activities such as debate, group discussions, group projects etc. The teacher can

easily walk around and monitor the students through which she can have full

control over students. There are certain disadvantages for this type of seating

arrangements. Since the desks are placed in a semi-circle or U shape it takes up

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 most of the classroom space, so it is not suitable for small classrooms. Teachers find

it difficult to have one on one interaction with students because the seats are

placed very close to each other.

Groups:

This seating arrangement consists of four or five desks together facing at each

other. Each desk consists of four or five people. this type of seating arrangement is

also known as clusters. These groups are scattered in different places of the

classrooms and there is enough space between each group. This type of classroom

setting is favorable for group discussions. The purpose of group seating

arrangement is to promote collaborative learning. The disadvantages of group

seating arrangement are that it is not suitable during exams as it is easier for the

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 students to cheat. It is also not suitable for teachers to give instructions as the

students may not be attentive to what the teacher is saying and instead end up

talking to their peers.

these two seating arrangements shows us the contrast on which to use depending

on how we can make all the students participate

Works cited and references:

classroom seating arrangements and the role of teacher characteristics and beliefs.

Soc Psychol Educ 19, 749–774 (2016). [Link]

Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (Vol. 18). Harlow:

Harlow: [Link] Australia.

Ming-Tak, Hue, and Li Wai-Shing. Classroom Management: Creating a Positive

Learning Environment. Hong Kong and Aberdeen: Hong Kong University Press, 2008.