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A physical set up of chairs, table in the classroom can influence learning to a great extent. It is an important factor which has direct influence on the learning of students. Seating arrangements are taken for granted many times but if it is taken seriously it can be used as a tool to accomplish teaching and learning objectives. Good seating arrangements can make the classroom effective and it is useful for the teacher as well. The way in which the teacher will organize the position of the students and himself is of great importance. As a teacher, one should have the authority to change the seating arrangements in the classroom to maintain discipline in the classroom, for the proper involvement of the students during the activities. The major factors on which seating arrangement depends upon are space available in the classroom, student’s personality, class size, age of the student, teaching style and objectives. Classroom seating arrangements have impact on communication between teacher and students. It can also create a good impact among the students during pair work or group activities conducted during the class. Moreover, a teacher can also go around and the students work constantly and track the students progress during the learning session. A teacher can change the seating arrangements according to the need of the class and teaching objective but it should be done politely and firmly so that students can also cooperate with the same. Student should not be moved without any reason. If they are told to move, they should understand the need of this kind movement. There are varieties of seating arrangement plan considered as useful by the experts. They are orderly rows (traditional approach), horseshoes or semicircles, double horse, round table, separate tables, pairs pods, group pods. Traditional row seating arrangements are good for usually large classes. It is good for teacher centered class. This arrangement is good from discipline point of view as the whole can be observed by the teacher. But it discourages interpersonal communication. Students with behavior problem can be seated in the front row. It creates a controlled learning environment. It reduces discipline problems. Circles and horseshoe arrangements are suitable for smaller size classes. Here the students can work in pairs and interaction among the peer members become easy. Students can participate equally and share their point of views. It is easy for the teacher as well. The teacher can provide one on one help if needed and monitoring becomes quite easy. This arrangement has cons also. If some of the students are not talkative, this arrangement can discourage other students. Cluster seating is another way to create an environment among students where they can work in pairs and groups. This arrangement can be used in small as well as in large class size. Shy students can talk in this type of arrangement. They may find it comfortable to talk in small groups. This increases individual knowledge by sharing ideas with each other. Thus, students seating arrangement is really important to make a classroom effective but on the other hand teachers position also matters. Students are often sensitive about teachers position whether the teacher is sitting or standing. Teachers position depends on the type of the activity conducted in the classroom, what is the teacher’s role in the activity or which phase of learning is going on (engage, study or activate). Classroom seating arrangement should be made in such a way that the teacher can move easily in the classroom and can monitor individual or group activities. Thus, we can say that for creating a good learning environment a good seating arrangement is needed for students according to the objectives to be accomplished in the class. There are many kinds of seating arrangements can be made in the classroom and all of them have their own pros and cons. For this, a teacher has to be very careful about selecting a particular type of seating arrangement so that he or she can achieve the teaching objective and at the same time student may also get benefited. To sum up, seating arrangements have an effective role in learner’s creativity and productivity.
