EDUC 4471 ­ 001 Kalsey Root 

Integrated Abilities Classroom 

 Grade 5.2 Room 9:  

 BEFORE 

 

 

  

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AFTER 

  

  

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Artist Statement  The classroom environment is important for all students and the teacher in terms of                           

organization, use of space, and comfort for various learners. Where teachers put their desks if                             

they choose to have one, what kind of tables and chairs to include, where to put rugs and                                   

book shelves, and planning breakout areas should all be “deliberate and well­thought­out”                       

(PEAK Learning Systems, 2004, Things to Consider). This thoughtfulness includes English                     

Language Learner (ELL) considerations. Many culturally and linguistically diverse ELLs feel a                       

disconnect between their home lives and school (Colombo, 2005, p. 1), which can cause                           

negative physical, social, cultural, and psychological experiences. Research shows that many                     

instructional differentiation strategies for ELL’s benefit all students, and this applies to the                         

physical classroom arrangement as well. 

 

The BEFORE classroom above is a replica of a Grade 5 room at Connect Charter                             

School as observed and photographed upon our second visit to the school on October 8th,                             

2014. How the room is set­up influences the culture of the classroom as a community of                               

learners working independently and collaboratively, whom all have different experiences at                     

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home and at school. The table below outlines the relevant changes I made from the original                               

classroom and what purposely remained the same. 

 

Relevant Changes  desk types, short round tables, breakout space, seating, shelving, plants and critters, lamps, rugs, windows, supply table, compost 

and recycling 

Not Changed  coat hooks and cubbies, community meeting area on the big rug in front of a Smart board (instead of a chalkboard in the original room) 

 Desk Types, Seating and Short Round Tables 

The transformed classroom includes studio like work tables with chairs and spaces for                         

students to stand as they work if they choose to. The larger taller tables act as a                                 

work­in­progress environment where students can move around and look at each other’s                       

creations and they can work independently or collaboratively in partners or groups. The large                           

table tops allow for bigger work spaces for students wanting to use chart paper, or who have                                 

many supplies and project components going on at the same time. Their places in the                             

classroom can be periodically rearranged so that each space is not “Rita’s” alone for example.                             

This creates more of a respectful and sharing culture where everything belongs to all the                             

students. This fosters a feeling of safety and community among students, and is essential for                             

ELLs who are already arriving with feelings of stress and anxiety (Upczak Garcia, 2006, p.                             

13). The low round tables offer a different kind of work space for students who like to sprawl                                   

on the floor and have a sturdy surface to write, draw, paint, or construct on. This also allows                                   

for diverse interactions among different students as they move about the classroom space                         

based on their physical needs day to day. Interaction is very important for ELLs (Leavitt, 2013,                               

p. 80) as they navigate the new culture, new language, and new place they are in.  

 

Breakout Spaces 

When I walk into a classroom and students are sitting in neat rows quietly reading                             

books (or pretending to read them), I am saddened at how forced the silent reading period                               

feels. Some students also have a difficult time being completely silent, and others do not learn                               

very well this way. By having break out spaces in the classroom, students can read in                               

partners or share favourite books or magazines stretched on the carpet, sitting or lying on                             

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pillows, in bean bag chairs, or other soft comfortable seating. Conversations can be going on                             

in low tones while other students lounge around the low round tables silently immersed in                             

their stories. Maybe during this quiet time, students can be independently finishing projects or                           

assignments or have one­on­one time with the teacher. These breakout spaces offer a stress                           

free inviting atmosphere where student’s movements and learning needs are not restricted or                         

limited. This cozy comfortable atmosphere puts students at ease and makes it easier for ELLs                             

to learn what is intended, rather than negotiating a stressful social and cultural environment.  

  

Low Shelving 

It is key to have a literacy rich classroom that displays an abundance of books,                             

magazines, and newspapers. A lavish variety of topics, styles, fiction, non­fiction, cross                       

curricular, leveled, and themed choices attend to student interest and encourage non­readers                       

to engage in print as much as possible. This way students feel successful and intrinsically                             

motivated to read more, which in turn inspires their writing. This variety needs to include                             

sources from across the world to represent different cultures, different lifestyles, and other                         

diverse representations. For ELLs it would be imperative to include choices in different                         

languages or multilingual sources to relate to the students native language and make them                           

feel that they belong in the classroom and are not excluded from such a common practise in                                 

mainstream schools. The low shelves mark out breakout spaces, offer space for book boxes                           

or bins, provide ready access to children, and allow for free flowing movement and vision in                               

the class (Upczak Garcia, 2006, pp. 11­12). 

 

Plants, Critters, Compost, and Recycling  

These four classroom components are important to me as a teacher and my                         

philosophy of education. In an age of technology I believe children are disconnected from                           

nature and therefore disconnected from a realm of inspiration and creativity. Instead of solely                           

using picture and word prompts for journal and story writing, plants, classroom critters,                         

compost, and recycling offer authentic real world prompts which students interact with on a                           

daily basis. The fish tanks in the transformed classroom above are one example of critters a                               

class could have. They could also adopt a bunny, tarantula, frogs, etc. I love critters, and                               

some of my favourite school experiences involved the responsibility of me caring for the class                             

pet over Winter or Spring break. Critters provide opportunities for students to learn about                           

them and their needs, help to bridge the gap between school and nature, and stimulate                             

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stories, research, and artwork. For ELLs they provide an opportunity for descriptive context                         

specific language and the celebration of cultural diversity (Ontario Education, 2005, p. 11).                         

Plants can offer similar opportunities and act as foundational knowledge to extend outdoors to                           

trees and other plant life. Composting is an interest of mine and I believe it is important to                                   

teach to students as it directly relates to human/nature relationships which are crucial today in                             

regards to climate change. Vermicomposting can also arouse creativity and encourage                     

research. Recycling falls under many of the descriptors I have used here and can also                             

transfer into the homes of students who initiate recycling and compost systems with parents                           

and siblings. ELLs may have very little or no experience with these elements. They can look                               

at, touch, and discover them independently, engage classmates or teachers in asking                       

questions promoting interaction and spontaneous language, and provide a chance for                     

students to take the conversation home to parents and/or siblings. This is also a chance for                               

ELLs to share what they know about these topics in their home country whereby supporting                             

their experiences as “relevant and important” (Upczak Garcia, 2006, p. 10). Teachers and                         

classmates can learn, for example, if having pets is common in India, or if Russian schools                               

have recycling or compost programs. 

 

Community Meeting Area 

It makes sense to have a gathering place for class discussions, presentations, and                         

meetings about classroom needs or challenges (Upczak Garcia, 2006, p. 12). A large carpet                           

in front of the Smart Board reserves the community meeting area and defines the space for a                                 

specific purpose. Here all students are invited to sit with their peers on the same level                               

demonstrating the agreed upon classroom guidelines and routines, for respectful listening for                       

example. Their attention is focused on speakers or information being presented and on being                           

an active member of a learning community. Establishing familiar classroom patterns can help                         

ELLs make sense of their new world and the community meeting area is a comfortable place                               

in the daily routines to do that. 

 

Lamps, Rugs, Windows  

In an ideal classroom there would be plenty of natural light and big insulated windows.                             

False lighting, especially large panels of ticking fluorescent lights commonly found in schools,                         

creates a dark closed off environment which promotes inactivity. It also cuts students and                           

teachers off from the outdoor environment where seasons, plants, and animal life can be                           

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observed and stimulate discussions and school work. When natural light becomes rare in the                           

Winter, lamps in the classroom can be a soft and cozy alternative to the building lights. Rugs                                 

help to further this cozy feel and act as place cards for breakout spaces and community                               

meeting areas, while protecting students and keeping the class warm. The comfort of a                           

learning space lends itself to ELL’s success (Upczak Garcia, 2006, pp. 11­12). 

 

Supply Table  

The supply table is meant to be a communal stock of paper, paint, pens, glue sticks,                               

rulers, erasers, pencils, and other stationery and art items. Here they can be organized and                             

displayed openly for student access whenever a supply is needed instead of hoarding pieces                           

inside desks under books and papers (Upczak Garcia, 2006, p. 12). This way students are in                               

charge of the tools they need to create and learn, which gives them responsibility and                             

accountability in the classroom community. It also gets students moving by having them                         

leave their desks to retrieve a pen for example. Physical activity is vital in learning and                               

provides opportunities for interaction and seeing the work of classmates.  

 

Coat Hooks and Cubbies 

Students need a place to put their coats, outdoor shoes, store their snacks and                           

lunches, and hang their bags. This routine can help students make them feel like they belong                               

in a more permanent way. When I worked in an office in the city centre, we did not have coat                                       

hooks or cupboards at our desks. Instead we would pile our things at the end of the table top                                     

and it made the work and my job feel temporary, as if I was an unwelcomed guest in that                                     

space.  

 

In that same job, we were also asked to keep cubicle decorations to a minimum with                               

maybe one or two pictures, preferably of family members instead of jokes, quotes, or                           

inspirational images. Humans spend a lot of time in the workplace and schools are the                             

workplaces of teachers and children. Therefore the environment should be welcoming,                     

respectful, safe, and inspiring. Student work should decorate the walls and they should have                           

input in the classroom spaces and routines in order to work as a caring community. ELLs may                                 

not readily feel safe and inspired so teachers must actively consider how to celebrate                           

diversity, arrange low stress spaces (Leavitt, 2013, pp. 80­81), foster feelings of belonging,                         

and engage student experiences through diverse connections and languages.  

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References 

 Buhrow. B., & Upczak Garcia, A. (2006). Creating a classroom environment. Ladybugs,   

tornadoes, and swirling galaxies. (pp. 9­22). Portland, United States: Stenhouse.  Colombo, M. W. (2005). Embracing diversity. Beyond The Journal, 1­8.   Floorplanner. (2014). Floorplanner. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from   

http://www.floorplanner.com/  Leavitt, A. (2013). Teaching English language learners in the mainstream classroom: the   

methods teachers us. The Researcher, 25, 79­93.  Ontario Education. (2005). Many roots, many voices. Retrieved October 18, 2014, from   

https://courseware.mymru.ca/bbcswebdav/pid­521277­dt­announcement­rid­10814291  _1/courses/50390.201404/manyroots.pdf 

 PEAK Learning Systems. (2004). Classroom arrangement. Retrieved October 18, 2014, from   

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/311/    

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