19 Classroom seating arrangements fit
for your teaching
Every lesson is different. There are many teaching methods for your lesson
topics, so why not change your classroom interior based on your lesson?
Sometimes, students have to work in groups, sometimes you give a presentation,
sometimes you do some corner work. Every strategy needs an effective
classroom arrangement.
In this post, I’ll show you 19 possible classroom seating arrangements. I’ll also
meantion the teaching methods that go with the arranged bench seating and at
the end of this post, I added an interactive whiteboard with which you can create
your own classroom seating chart.
19 types of seating arrangements for classrooms
1. Pairs
Let’s start with one of the most used bench seating arrangements: Pairs. Pair up
students and let them work individual or together. It’s more fun with two but still
gives you a nice overview. In this way, students can get their heads together
when needed. If they have to work individually, let’s say they have a test, you can
place a binding folder between the students. Here, you can also easily divide
your classroom into three columns of pairs. Ask, for example, the first column to
answer question A, the second column to answer question B and the last column
to answer question C. Go over the answers when they’ve finished. That way, you
can speed up the classical work.
2. Grid
This seating arrangement is especially handy when testing your students or
when you want them to work individually. They can’t talk to each other or let their
eyes wander on someone else’s paper. I wouldn’t recommend this seating
arrangement in your classroom all the time. Students could get demotivated as
they have no-one to “whisper” to.
3. Presentation
Get your students seated next to each other on one line. Repeat this a few times
if you have enough classroom space. The purpose is to let students listen to the
one in front of the classroom. This can be the teacher, or a student giving a
presentation or demonstration. Seating your students this way is a good idea
when you want them to focus on the front of the classroom. All students should
be able to see something and it’s easier for the one in the front to divide its
attention and eye contact.
4. Groups of Four
Use small groups of four when you want your students to put their heads
together. You can let them work on an assignment. You can also let them think
about a question individually and ask them to deliberate with the other students
in the group. Of course, just individual work is also possible. This seating
arrangement just makes it a bit more social. When working with “groups of four”
students get to sit with others all the time. They get to know each other better
and make friends. This seating arrangement is a good idea to start the year.
5. Corner Work
When you’re working on a big project or teaching a comprehensive topic with
different aspects or themes, this seating arrangement will do just fine. Assign
different tasks to each corner. For example, a (digital) crossword riddle, a quiz, a
video with questions, a whiteboard exercise, … All the assignments complete
each other. Let your students shuffle so they’ve been to every corner and did
every assignment. You can also use it to split up students with the same learning
level. One corner where students get more instructions, the other has expansion
exercises, one corner has noise-canceling headphones so students can
concentrate, etc.
6. U-shape
The U-shape or the horseshoe. This classroom arrangement encourages
discussion and makes it easy for the teacher to observe students and give one-
on-one help. Don’t use this desk arrangement for group work. This will be almost
impossible.
7. Double U-shape
When you have more students or a smaller classroom, you can choose for the
double U-shape arrangement. This allows you to put more students next to each
other. It’s very cozy but has some disadvantages as well. For example, it’s
harder for the teacher to go around in the classroom. One-on-one support is
more or less off the table here. Students in the back might feel a bit left out as
well. It’s best to use this arrangement when giving a presentation or when
teaching in front of the classroom.
8. U-shape Large Classroom
You can see where I’m going here. Let’s say you have a large classroom and a
lot of students, then you can definitely use this student desk arrangement. In
contrast to the double u-shape arrangement, this u-shape for in a large
classroom doesn’t really cast students out. There’s no separate “U” in the front,
which makes it more open to the students in the back.
9. Conference Small Classroom
Are you teaching a small group of students? In that case, the conference
classroom arrangement is a possibility. The “conference classroom” gives your
students an “equal voice” and a snapshot of a business meeting room. Use the
conference seating arrangement when making classroom rules, planning an
event, for an intervention, a class discussion, etc. You can also practice speech
(foreign language) by letting the students facing each other talk to each other. Let
them switch places and move on to the next student in line and talk about
another topic.
10. Conference Large Classroom
Don’t worry though, there’s a conference classroom layout for many students and
a large classroom as well. Use this just like mentioned above. The only thing
that’s not possible is letting students face each other and talk directly to them.
Don’t use it for group work either.
11. Herringbone
This interesting student desk arrangement serves two purposes. It is rows of two,
three or four, but slightly turned so they face the center of the classroom. This
way, students give full attention to the teacher or students at the front of the
classroom, and they can join in on a classroom discussion easily. You can also
let your students work together with the ones on their row.
12. Rows
This is used most of the time in higher education when students have to listen to
the teacher in the front. Here, the teacher can’t give any one-on-one feedback as
it’s hard to reach students in the middle. It’s a seating arrangement to get as
many students in one classroom.
13. Computer Combination
Any of the other classroom seating arrangements work with portable devices like
laptops, chromebooks or tablets. When you’re in a classroom with student desks
and computers, you can use this classroom layout. It gives you an overview of
your students’ computers.
14. Butterfly
This one is probably new to you. Let your students work individually, yet they sit
together. This middle of the butterfly serves as a place where students go for
extra instructions or a new assignment. Everything will be spread out on those
desks in the middle. The teacher will be available to give more guidance when
needed as well.
15. Eye
Use eye-formation when you’re setting up a debate or discussion. Select a group
of students that will debate in the middle of the eye. The rest will be the
audience.
16. Circle
The circle is a classic seating formation in which you encourage your students to
join a classroom talk or discussion. It’s more or less the same as the conference
classroom seating.
17. Large Groups
Split your classroom into two large groups. Let the groups work on bigger
projects like organizing an event, putting together a play, setting up their own
“company”, keep a political meeting with different representatives,etc. Keep in
mind that it might get loud in your classroom.
18. Horseshoes
Use this classroom desk arrangement to encourage discussion in smaller
groups. Introduce some bold statements or “problems” about your teaching topic
and let your students discuss them in their groups (in a foreign language you’re
teaching languages). Encourage your students to come to a consensus or a
solution to the problem.
19. Banquet
Use this classroom seating layout for two things:
Let students talk to the one facing them (discussion, practice a foreign
language, get to know each other, etc.).
Divide your classroom into two groups. Let them work together on bigger
projects like in number 17. Let them organize an event, put together a play,
set up their own “company”, etc.
Create your own classroom seating arrangement
I guess these are more or less all the possible classroom seating arrangments.
Of course, you can make combinations of different classroom layouts and adapt
them to your own classroom and available space. Use this basic lesson plan
template with a whiteboard below. Use the stickers I created to set up your own
classroom layout for your teaching purpose. It’s not a classroom seating
arrangement app, but it comes close. It gives you much more freedom as you
can draw your own classroom layout.
Wrap up
Every classroom is different. The most important thing is that students feel
confident and trust the classroom environment. Make sure to move around your
student desks from time to time so you have the perfect classroom seating
arrangement for your lesson.
