Seating For Success
Students in elementary school classrooms benefit from specific seating arrangements that are based on student needs and the goals of the lesson. The research question for this poster presentation is “How does classroom seating arrangement impact student participation and behavior in an elementary classroom?” We are studying what seating arrangements and patterns are used in elementary school classrooms, and which arrangements produce the most success from students. The research shows that there is not one specific seating arrangement that is superior to the rest. Different seating arrangements support different needs in the classroom, depending on the teaching style, the characteristics of the students from class to class, and the classroom size. Studies show that row seating arrangement is best for independent work, and it helps reduce disruptive behavior because they are looking forward and are not grouped together. Cluster seating arrangement is beneficial for group work and projects, but not for talkative students or lectures. The double E seating arrangement supports the zones of proximity, because the teacher is able to move around the classroom easily. The negative aspect of Double E seating is that half of the students will be facing a different direction than the front board or the screen. This can cause disruptive behavior. The U-Shape seating arrangement is great for teachers to be able to walk around the middle of the room while also seeing all students fairly equally. The students feel that they are less isolated, and that they feel more disciplined in a positive way. The downside to this seating arrangement is that group work is difficult and that some students are not facing the front board or screen easily. For classrooms that are based off of group work and interactive activities, teachers should use the Cluster seating or the Double E seating. For classrooms that are based off of lectures or having poor behavior from students, teachers should use the Row seating or the U-Shape seating. From the data provided, there is not one seating arrangement that is considered “better”. Each seating arrangement will be different for each teacher and classroom.
EDUC 321, Classroom Relations and Management
Brian Kaelin
10 AM – Noon