Creating a positive learning environment

Creating a Positive Learning
Environment

Elements in Creating a Positive
Learning Environment
1) Physical Setting
2) Emotional Climate

Structuring the Physical
Environment
 Desk arrangements
 Student placement
 Classroom decoration
 Music in the classroom

Desk Arrangement
Desks in groups, with
students facing each
other, can help
stimulate student
discussion.

Desk Arrangement
 Desks in single or double rows are
good for demonstrations and
independent work

Desk Arrangement
 Desks in u-shapes are
recommended where possible

Desk Arrangement
 Desks in workstations are
suited for students who have
developed self management
skills

Desk Arrangement
 Always remember in Desk Arrangement ,
all seating arrangements should
accommodate an inclusive learning
environment and that some classrooms
may require free and quiet spaces to
facilitate learning.

Student Placement
 Place easily distracted students away
from each other, doorways, windows and
areas of high traffic.
 Preferably, place to one side of the
classroom, close to the front.
 An inclusive classroom should place
students in areas of the class best suited
to their needs.

Classroom Decoration
 Students like to see their own work
displayed, even in High Schools Class-
made posters help students develop a
sense of belonging to the classroom

Music in the Classroom
 Music can be a great addition to any
classroom Use as reward Create positive
mood Helps broaden musical
experiences In inclusive classroom music
can: Comfort/calm and help focus (some
students).

Structuring the Emotional
Climate
“ It is the teacher’s responsibility to value each and every one of the
students in their class, so that each student feels special and
important.” (Groundwater-Smith et al, 1998, p. 95)
The bond between a teacher and student is much more important
for students with management and behavioral issues such as
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) and Asperger’s.
Structuring the Emotional Environment ADHD Students need extra
motivation so they can maintain attention, work consistently, and
avoid boredom associated with repetitive tasks. (eg. Maths)
Asperger’s A bond with the teacher can encourage, inspire and
greatly assist them.

5 Basic Emotional Needs
(Robert Reasoner, 1995)
Psychological Safety
Positive Self-Image
 Feeling of Belonging
 Purpose Behavior
 Sense of Personal Competence

Psychological Safety
 In the classroom, it s achieved when the learners
know the following:
- What is expected
- Feel safe and protected
- Able to trust others
- Able to anticipate or predict the sequence of events
from experience
*Learners who feel secure and relatively free from
worry and anxiety feel comfortable and protected and
are more willing to take risk, enter new situation with
confidence and are better in focusing their energy on
the task at hand.

Positive Self Image
 A teacher can modify a learner’s self-
image by doing the following:
- Honoring each child’s uniqueness
- Demonstrating acceptance and caring
- Building self-awareness of their strength
and weakness

Feeling of Belonging
*Feeling of belonging make learners feel part
of something larger. They feel accepted and
valued as a member of the family, team or
culture and develop a healthy sense of pride.
This can be done by :
- Creating an accepting warm environment.
- Involving learners in class activities and give
them opportunity to be of service to others.

Purpose Behavior
*Learners need to engage in purposeful
behavior because it brings meaning to their
effort. If their efforts remain directed towards
pleasing or complying with the demands of
adults, learners will lack internal motivation.
* Teacher address the learners need for
purpose behavior when they convey clear
expectations, express confidence and faith in
their learners’ abilities, strengthen values,
such as responsibility, effort, honesty,
perseverance, determination, commitment
and help learners set realistic goals.

Sense of Personal
Competence, Self Esteem
*develops when students have accomplished
something worthwhile or behaved in a
personally or socially responsible way.
* a product of achievement, not the cause
*a chievement leads to self-esteem Global
Self-esteem: a general sense of pride in
oneself. Not necessarily a reality-based
evaluation Self-esteem leads to achievement
(McGrath, 2003) (Shokraii, 2005)

Strategies for Creating a
Positive Emotional Climate
 Greet students personally
 Make frequent eye contact
 Negotiate rules and routines with students
 Acknowledge positive behaviors
 Use positive language
 Interact with students outside the classroom
 Minimise embarrassment
 Use humour
 Use bibliotherapy
 Use class meetings

Teacher Expectations
 Pygmalion Effect or
- Rosenthal effect, refers to the phenomenon in
which the greater the expectation placed upon
people, often children or students and employees,
the better they perform.
- Pygmalion effect is a form of self-fulfilling
prophecy, and, in this respect, people will
internalize their negative label, and those with
positive labels succeed accordingly.

Teacher Expectations
 Self-fulfilling Prophecy
- a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself
to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy
itself, due to positive feedback between belief and
behavior
- a prophecy, strongly held belief, or a delusion,
declared as truth when it is actually false may
sufficiently influence people, either through fear or
logical confusion, so that their reactions ultimately
fulfill the once-false belief.

Characteristics of Effective Teachers
(Kenneth Eble, The Recognition and Evaluation of Teaching , 1971)
1. Analytic/Synthetic Approach
a. Discusses points of view other than his/her own.
b. Contrasts implications of various theories.
c. Discusses recent developments in the field.
d. Presents origins of ideas and concepts.
e. Gives references for more interesting and
involvedpoints.
f. Presents facts and concepts from related fields
g. Emphasizes conceptual understanding

2. Organization/Clarity
a. Explains clearly.
b. Is well prepared.
c. Gives lectures that are easy to outline.
d. Is careful and precise in answering questions.
e. Summarizes major points.
f. States objectives for each class session.
g. Identifies what he/she considers important.

3. Instructor-Group Interaction
a. Encourages class discussion.
b. Invites students to share their knowledge and
experiences.
c. Clarifies thinking by identifying reasons for
questions.
d. Invites criticism of his/her own ideas.
e. Knows if the class is understanding him/her or
not.
f. Has interest and concern in the quality of
his/herteaching.
g. Has students apply concepts to demonstrate
understanding.

4. Instructor-Individual Student Interaction
a. Has a genuine interest in students.
b. Is friendly toward students.
c. Relates to students as individuals.
d. Recognizes and greets students out of class.
e. Is accessible to students out of class.
f. Is valued for advice not directly related to the
course.
g. Respects students as persons.

5. Dynamism/Enthusiasm
a. Is a dynamic and energetic person.
b. Has an interesting style of presentation.
c. Seems to enjoy teaching.
d. Is enthusiastic about the subject.
e. Seems to have self-confidence.
f. Varies the speed and tone of his/her
voice.g.Has a sense of humor.

Reported by:
Ms. Cynthia E. Calupas
Topic : Classroom Management &
Teacher’s Personality

Creating a positive learning environment

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