Physical Arrangement in Early Childhood Programs

The physical arrangement of the early childhood classroom is a vital component in achieving a successful learning environment for young children. 

Developmentally appropriate programs provide opportunities for children to broaden and deepen their knowledge through interaction with the environment by engaging in play-based experiences while using a variety of different materials and tools that are conducive to successful learning. 

The difference between a chaotic classroom and an orderly classroom is based in great part on how the teacher prepares the environment. Successful teachers know that the arrangement and management of the early childhood classroom have direct effects on classroom behaviors children exhibit as they live and work together in the environment with their peers (Hemmeter, Ostrosky, and Corso 2012).

Factors to Consider

Teachers must consider several factors and components of the physical space when setting up an effective early childhood classroom:

• Safety: Ensuring the environment is set up with the children’s health and safety in mind is a top priority. This should include accessibility for students who require physical accommodations, small and cozy spaces for quiet time, and teacher materials always locked away from children.
• Traffic patterns: Furniture and learning centers should be arranged in a coordinated fashion and placed based on logical location (e.g., quiet away from noisy areas, a kitchen near a dress-up area) to encourage creative interaction.
• Furniture: Furniture should be child-sized with materials and objects that are easily accessible to the children. There should be integration of tables in centers, and use of shelves that help define the space and hold learning center/station-specific materials. Arrangement of the furniture should always allow the teacher an unobstructed view of the children and give the room an open, interactive feel.
• Materials: A variety of materials that pique interest, maintain engagement, and are conducive to the instructional routines should be clearly present in the classroom. Environmental print that reflects children’s diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds should be available. Materials should be developmentally appropriate and available based on the needs of the children (e.g., PK3- Large- sized crayons/ PK4- regular-sized crayons, K+ large-sized pencils).
• Organized storage: All materials should be sorted and organized in a logical manner. Storage should be labeled to reinforce literacy skills that support children with independent and self-sufficient tasks of putting items away in their proper place(e.g., PK3- use of real photographs/ PK4- Clip art or photos with print on storage containers).
• Classroom display: The prekindergarten classroom should be clean, organized, and well-lit. Decorations and displays should consist primarily of children’s work that is at the child’s eye level and clearly labeled which provides the opportunity for children to see and interact with what has been displayed. Classroom displays should also include culturally and linguistically diverse posters and pictures, depicting real people of differing abilities. Keep in mind that there should be balance in the amount of items displayed in the classroom, as to not create an environment that is overwhelming or visually distracting (e.g., strategic placement and rotation in the use of classroom displays, children’s work, posters, charts, etc.).

Using Physical Space to Promote Language and Literacy

Creating a classroom community that promotes children’s language and literacy development requires that print-rich materials be located throughout the classroom. The print in the classroom often serves as the earliest source of print awareness for young successful learners. Well-stocked learning centers/stations should be supplied with printed materials (e.g. posters), labels, and fiction and non-fiction books that promote the integration of a multitude of academic concepts.

In addition, it is important that children have rich literacy-based experiences that represent culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. In classrooms with children who are learning English, the environment must include familiar print that is found in the places, objects, and materials that children encounter every day (Salinas-Gonzalez and Alanis 2015). Creating labels in English as well as students' home languages in the classroom serves to validate the home culture and language. It also provides an opportunity for all students to learn about the diverse cultures represented in their classroom and opens the door for parents to become involved in the classroom as they share their culture and language. Labels with words and pictures should be available where appropriate everywhere in the classroom so that children constantly connect written language with the things the language represent.

References

Hemmeter, M.L., M.M. Ostrosky, and R.M. Corso. 2012. Preventing and Addressing Challenging Behavior: Common Questions and Practical Strategies. Young Exceptional Children 15 (2): 32–46.

Salinas-Gonzalez, I & Alanis, I. (2015). Classroom Labels that Young Children Can Use: Enhancing Biliteracy Development in a Dual Language Classroom. Dimensions of Early Childhood 43(1), 25-32.