3.3.

Organise seating arrangements

There are many ways you can arrange the desks in a classroom to make
the layout as appropriate as possible for your lesson. Unfortunately many
teachers keep the same seating arrangement for the entire lesson, and
throughout the academic year.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different seating arrangements, even within a

single lesson. A quick seating change can increase motivation and make activities
run more smoothly. In fact, although it can seem like an extra effort and a waste of
time, a little time spent on rearranging the furniture at the start of a course can lead
to more effective activities throughout the year. You can usually get the students to
help you and as long as you give the instructions in English it's all good language
practice!

Below are some suggestions for how you can change your seating arrangements
to suit your objectives and teaching style.

Rows style

Rows are the typical environment for a teacher-centred classroom and/or

individual learning. Students are aligned in such a way as they all face the front of
the class. The teacher conducts the instruction from this 'front' position. This type
of physical set-up is regarded by some as an effective method of behaviour
management.
The traditional classroom layout, in rows, allows the teacher to make eye-contact
with all the students (although it is important to keep looking around to move
beyond a narrow arc of vision, if you want everyone to feel included). The students
can also readily see a screen or board at the front. But in order to talk to each
other, they need to turn in their seats or address the back of a fellow-student's
neck.

Although many schools still use traditional rows, as you can pack in lots of people
in a small space, there are very few advantages for a language teacher. If students
are sitting in twos you have immediate pairs made for pair work but as you will
probably want to change the pairs at some point this is only a limited advantage. If
you can't get around behind the students to look at their work it can be really
difficult to monitor. If you have to work in this layout think about the spaces at the
front of the class and the aisles between the rows. For mingle tasks make use of
these. Look for alternative spaces for certain group tasks, such as the corridors,
playground or halls.

If rows are indicative of a teacher-centred approach, groups are typical of student-

centred learning. They provide an effective environment for students to actively
engage with the learning process. Grouping can help with integration of advanced
and disruptive students, ensuring racial and cultural diversity, gender balancing
and social skill development.

The following are some of the main student-centred layouts.

Cabaret style

Typically tables are arranged in small squares or rectangles with 4-6 seats around
them. Nested tables are great for small group work and project work. It can be
difficult to start classes when students are already sitting on small tables as some
students will have their backs to you. If possible have the students sit so they're
side on to you and remember to move around the classroom when you need to
give instructions or change activities. Surprise your class by popping up at different
places around the class.
Circle style

The circle formation is great for many games, group discussions, welcoming your
students at the beginning of the class, doing the register and really talking to your
students. You should push the tables to the walls and have just the chairs in a
circle. You can sit in the circle with your students. If they need to write at certain
times of the lesson they can either go to work at the tables facing the walls around
the outside or they can rest a folder on their knees and stay in the circle.

Theatre style
Another set-up that does not include tables is the theatre layout. This layout is
useful if you are planning on giving a lecture or an OHP presentation. Chairs can
be arranged in a chevron (a wide V) to increase visibility.

Horseshoe style

This layout is great if you are using visual aids, doing board work or speaking
activities like whole-group discussion. All the students will be able to see you, the
board and each other and you will have a lovely space in the middle of the
horseshoe and around the outside to monitor students work, distribute handouts
etc. Breaking the group into pairs or dividing the students into 2 large groups can
be easy with this set-up.
Boardroom style

Placing rectangular tables up against each other to create a large rectangular table
and then arranging the seats around the perimeter is called a boardroom set-up.
The shape can also take the form of a solid or hollow square. This set up is ideal
for debates or when students need to act as one group to make decisions and
discuss content.

Fishbowl style
If the group is too large to get around a U-shaped layout or a boardroom table, the
"fishbowl", with concentric circles of students, maximises the possibilities of
discussion. Clearly this works better without tables, and it is useful to make efforts
to ensure that over several sessions, everyone has their turn in the "inner circle".

For sessions involving small group working, it is useful to arrange tables at which
four or five students can sit, to promote the easy formation of the small groups from
the start of the session. It avoids the disruption caused by people moving about
halfway through (although that is sometimes a useful "punctuation mark" in the
session).