Alongside proper school cleaning using Galleon Supplies hygiene products, research shows that classroom layouts are important for academic and social student development. While the perfect classroom could not replace the perfect teacher, many researchers argue that there is no such thing as a perfect classroom layout either. Instead, different layouts encourage certain behaviours and activities. This article will look at three common classroom shapes, look at their aims and what they can help you achieve.
Why are Classroom Layouts Important?
Classroom layouts are important for creating an effective learning environment. They impact student engagement, interaction, and behavior. Well-designed layouts cater to various teaching methods, encourage collaboration, and enhance overall learning and development.
The three effective classroom layouts we’ll look at today include:
Rows and Columns
- Traditional layout. Adheres to a ‘sit-and-listen’ style of educating.
- Minimizes distractions and makes it easier for teachers to manage disruptions.
Semicircles
- Encourages more interaction, eye contact, and conversation among students.
- Supports equal opportunities for students to speak, debate, and socialise.
Clusters
- Involves grouping desks into clusters for working groups.
- May have drawbacks like some students having their backs to the teacher.
Different Classroom Layouts and their Benefits
Traditional Rows and Columns
The traditional and still widely used layout for a classroom is the row and column structure. This classroom layout involves a series of individual desks in a series of rows from the front to back of the classroom. Robert Sommer states that this type of seating arrangement adheres to a ‘sit-and-listen’ style of educating. If you put yourself in the student’s shoes, sitting at their solitary desk, you can see why.
All students face the teacher at the front of the room. This encourages them to hold their focus in this direction for the duration of the lesson. Given that the average attention span for an adult in the UK is only 14 minutes, this seems like a challenge for children and adolescents.
This classroom layout does, however, have its advantages by lowering potential distractions for students and making it easier for the teacher to spot disruptors. This layout would therefore be more fitting for a mock-exam or other test.
Interactive Semicircles
Marx, Fuhrer & Hartig conducted a study in 1999 into the effects of classroom layout on a fourth-grade German class. Using two layouts, rows and a semi-circle, the study lasted for eight weeks and observed 53 lessons.
The findings showed that question-asking was much more frequent in the semi-circle layout than rows and columns. They observed that this was because the semi-circle encourages more eye contact and conversation between peers. Furthermore, they went on to find that children in the centre of the semi-circle asked more questions than those on the outer tables.
They concluded that this type of classroom layout could provide equal opportunities for young students when speaking and was conducive to debating and socialising.
Collaborative Clusters
Clusters of tables have become a very popular classroom layout for teachers. This setup involves using clusters of desks to form working groups. While this might seem as though it offers the best of both the previous layouts, it does have its drawbacks.
Cluster layouts are great for group work. But it can be tricky to arrange in a way where some students do not have their backs to the teacher. They can also encourage disruption if you have a cluster of difficult students. Equally, splitting these children up can affect the group work of other students.
This format is often used by teachers to divide students in terms of ability so that they are working with students at a similar level. This is useful for more academically gifted students but may hinder the progression of lower levels.
Classroom Safety and Hygiene
In conclusion, there is not one perfect classroom layout. Often the fixtures and fittings might dictate your space, limiting the layouts you can try. The layouts listed above all provide different advantages and disadvantages to learning, meaning that regularly changing your classroom arrangement could be beneficial for students. Try each of these out until you find the perfect layout for you!
As much as rearranging your classroom layouts might help your students learn, classroom safety and hygiene is also incredibly important. If you encourage your students to help you arrange the classroom at the start of the lesson (a great way of getting them active and involved with the learning process straight away), then be sure that they wash their hands in the sink and use the soap dispenser. This will make sure they don’t spread bacteria from some cement-like chewing gum on the underside of their desks!
Classroom cleaning is important for reducing the number of absences, creating a calm learning environment, and instilling good habits in students. If you are interested in classroom hygiene, read our blog on how to clean your classroom in 5 steps.
