CLASSROOMS FLOOR

PLAN
TUTORIAL 7
GROUP 1

QUESTION
Draw a floor plan of a classroom and discuss on
how to create a cultural friendly classroom,
focusing on the physical and social-emotional
aspects. Include images of a culturally friendly
classroom.

GROUP WORK
Group 1
Students are less than 30.
Focus on the physical aspect lighting,
ventilation, cleanliness, floor plan
Group 2
Students are more than 30.
Focus on the physical aspects class dcor and
storage space

 Group 3
Students are less than 30
Focus on social-emotional aspects teacher as
role model, environment and experience
Group 4
Students are more than 30
Focus on social emotional aspects learning
community and the role of games

ARRANGEMENT
First and foremost, the teacher needs to consider
the type of seating arrangement that suits the
students in the classroom the most.
For primary school classroom, groups seating
arrangement is recommended. That is because
primary school students learn mostly by doing
various groupwork activities.
However, it does not mean that a row seating
arrangement is not appropriate. All seating
arrangements have their own benefit to certain
situation. It mainly depends on the size of the
classroom. Usually, the size of classroom in our
countrys schools are not that big. (consideration of
space is important)

GOOD CLASSROOM TRAFFIC

The teacher needs to make sure that there must be
spaces between seats so that the teacher and also the
students can walk freely from one place to another.
A class with good traffic flow is effective as the students
and teacher can easily move from place to place.
It will be easier for the students to do activities that
require them to move around and also forming groups.
Foreman (1996) once said that some classroom may
require free and quiet spaces to facilitate learning while
Fred Jones, a classroom management expert said that
teacher mobility should be the aim of any classroom
seating arrangement. (Teacher as role model)

TO MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT

The most prominent reason is that the teachers
ability to see and be seen by all the students
during the teaching and learning process will be
maximized.
When the teachers ability to see and be seen
increase, it is good for one of the most used
teaching method in Malaysian classroom which is
demonstration.
Moreover, the teacher will have good eye
contacts with the students which will definitely be
helpful in delivering the lesson.

PROMOTE ACTIVE INTERACTION

In context of social, they will not face any problem because
this arrangement will not make students live in isolation.
So, academic discussions between students during lesson
will be easier for them.
The students are divided into three corners which are left,
middle and right. It depends on the teachers and situations
whether to group them base on their level. If teacher wants
to group them base on their level, low achievers should
seats in the middle while the others who can perform well
in examination will be given seats in the left and right side.
This is because the middle seats are called action zone
whereby the students who sit in the middle are more likely
to be given better attention by the teacher.
For that reason, there will be more interactions occur
between them with the teacher (Learning community)

EXTRA SPACES
It should also offers some spaces in the classroom
especially for activity during lesson.
(i) Mini library- Most of the Malaysian classrooms
are provided with mini library at one side of the
class. The purpose of having mini library in class
is to support reading environment.
(ii) A corner- for performing drama, public
speaking or any other activities that require the
students to perform. That corner can be
decorated so that it will look like a performing
stage. (The role of games)

CUPBOARD
Cupboard is used to keep the teaching and
learning materials and also books so that the
classroom will look more tidy and easier for
teachers to find things that are related to the
lesson being taught.
More systematic to keep their personal workbook
or things that they only use in class in a specific
place so that they will not left it at home.
It is a normal thing for primary school students to
forget bringing their books to class and this can
affect their learning on that particular day. Hence,
the probability for them to left their books at
home will be smaller.

CLASSROOMS WALLS
The information in the walls must be change from time
to time so that the students will always be up-to-date.
In order to make things easier, the class teacher can
assign one or two students to find information that they
think interesting once a week.
Most of the information on the wall usually will be used
during demonstrations or explanations.
It also would be nicer to display their own works
throughout the year.
This will help in enhancing their intrinsic motivations and
also their sense of belonging. Their self-esteem will also
be increased upon seeing their works being appreciated
by the teacher (Environment and experience)

LETS TAKE A LOOK ON SOME

PICTURES OF CLASSROOM
ARRANGEMENT AND DECORATION
AND DISCUSS THE STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES OF HAVING THAT
TYPE OF CLASSROOM IN MALAYSIA.