Teacher positioning in the classroom

This article looks at what teachers should consider when positioning themselves in the classroom at various stages of the lesson and the effect it has on their learners.

Whether we are standing, seated or crouching in front of, to the side of or behind learners, sends out a message with regard to what we want them to do. Our choice will depend on the aim of the activity in progress. There are times when we will want to be the focus of all of our learners’ attention, others when we will want to be addressing groups, pairs or individuals in the class, and also times when we will want to be entirely unobtrusive. We will adopt different positions accordingly.

Standing, sitting or crouching

Wherever we stand in the class, learners will see us, therefore standing is important when we want the attention of the whole class, for clarifying language or giving instructions, for example.
Some experienced teachers know how to hold the attention of a large group while seated, but there is definitely a greater possibility of losing some learners’ attention if we are seated.
Another problem with sitting is the message it can give learners. Whilst sitting down in front of them at the beginning of a class can create a welcoming, cosy atmosphere, if we are not careful, remaining seated throughout the class can give learners the impression of a lack of interest and motivation on our part.
Our own body language plays a large part in the energy levels in our classroom, and it is difficult to create any energy if we remain seated the whole time.
There are times when sitting is a good idea, however. If standing can distract learners and crouching for any length of time is physically uncomfortable, then sitting in a place which is easily accessible to all learners while they are working, which may be in the middle of the class as opposed to at the front, has the advantage of not distracting them whilst leaving us available to answer any questions.
Crouching in, around or behind pairs and groups has several advantages. Firstly, we are giving the group the message that we are mobile, and not going to stay with one learner, pair or group for longer than is necessary. Secondly, we are physically at the same height as the learners, making interaction more personal and less threatening, which in turn leads to a more communicative atmosphere.
It should also be pointed out that, for obvious reasons, female students can feel uncomfortable with a male teacher standing over them or crouching closely beside them. And although crouching allows us to position ourselves near pairs or groups without constantly moving furniture around, which can be very distracting, using a chair with wheels is often the best choice if available.

Interaction patterns

The questions we must ask ourselves when we are beginning an activity are:

What is the interaction pattern here?
Are learners working together in a pair or group?
Are we addressing them as a whole group?
Are they working on their own?

Depending on the task they are involved in and the interaction required, we will adopt different positions.

The theme of 'control v neglect’ also becomes important with our positioning, as a teacher can become too involved in activities that are more learner-centred, resulting in us inhibiting learning (too much teacher control), or alternatively, not involved enough and not providing sufficient guidance (neglect). The position we adopt is directly related to how we can provide learners with a balanced amount of attention and space.

Common problems with positioning

Here are some common problems I have encountered with positioning and how I have attempted to resolve them:

Teacher to whole class

Problem: Learners not following the class, not paying attention, missing instructions, etc.
Cause: Teacher being seated, or standing to one side where not all learners can see them.
Solution: Stand at the front of the class or where all learners can see you and create eye contact with everyone before speaking.

During pair or group work

Problem: Impeding learner-to-learner communication due to too much teacher control.
Cause: Teacher sitting in with the group or pair, or remaining too long with one group or pair; teacher towering over learners as they work.
Solution: Remain accessible but outside learner-to-learner interaction, seated in the middle of the class or at the front, or move around the class and crouch to attend to learners.
Problem: Learners over-reliant on teacher and not completing task.
Cause: Teacher being continually available.
Solution: There are times when the aim of the activity is for learners to be working together and yet one of the pair or group constantly asks for the teacher’s help simply because they are there. In this case, it is wise to position yourself near another group or pair to encourage the 'needy’ learner to work with their partner(s).

During pair or group work or when learners work alone

Problem: Not providing learners with enough support (neglect) so they just stop working.
Cause: Teacher remaining sitting or standing at a distance from the learners.
Solution: Circulate or get closer. Either move constantly around the class, attending to learners’ questions and making sure they stay on task, or sit in a position that makes you accessible to all of them (see following point).
Problem: One or several learners dominate the teacher’s attention (neglect of majority of learners).
Cause: Teacher sits next to one or two learners and stays there.
Solution: Remain mobile. Being seated is fine, but either leave your chair in the middle of the room and go and crouch by the learner(s) to answer questions, or take your chair with you and draw it back to the middle of the room when you’ve answered the question.

Conclusion

Remember that where and how we choose to position ourselves sends a message to learners about what they should be doing and about our availability. Although it is tempting to always be available for our learners, and certainly preferable to neglecting them, there is a need for a balance in terms of the attention they receive, and this can be achieved by positioning ourselves according to the requirements of the activity.