Classroom Physical Environment And Pupils Acquisition Of Reading And Hand Writing Skills In Early Childhood Education
Introduction
The classroom is the place where the pupils learn the various skills that are necessary to qualify them to become significant adults. Ashton (2001) states that a classroom is where the pupils gain understanding of the contribution that they can make to build their identity and their society. It is where the pupils acquire the knowledge needed to achieve their ultimate goals and objectives in future life. With the classroom being such an important place in the growth and development of a child, it is important, therefore, to understand the ways in which to form its environment in order to have maximum effective instruction. If schools play a major role in teaching the pupils how to be successful adults, then every necessary measure should be taken to safeguard that the learning environment is one that helps pupils work hard to achieve success. If not dealt with adequately, a classroom can be set up in a way that hinders creativity or, at least, in a way that does not promote acceptable learning level (Kilie, 2012). There are many things that can affect this environment. These may include physical facilities such as wall art, arrangement of desks, and other learning resources. Also, there are non-physical elements such as the classroom regulations and rules, or even the sounds and light within the room. Each of these can affect a pupil’s focus and hence his learning in the class. These elements can also affect the teacher’s attitude in the class as well (Dihaisat, 2016). Additionally, the way in which a teacher controls the class, or manages it, will have positive or negative influence on the children (Best & Kahn, 2001).The standard for many classrooms in the past was to have a blackboard and a set of desks arranged in rows within the classroom. This system of arrangement may not fit pupils in today’s schools. Some modern educators claim that such traditional arrangements make students lose interest and create a higher level of boredom in the classroom (Umar, 2015). Rogers &George suggest that this structure does not encourage interaction between pupils which represents a crucial element, particularly, in language learning. Most researchers agree that the physical environment of the classroom makes a noticeable impact on pupils’ achievement. This can have a variety of details. It can be the structure of the classroom, the ventilation, the classroom size, the learning resources, or even the colours of the classroom walls and decoration or pictures. All of these can play a role in determining whether the classroom will be conducive for learning. However, each of these elements alone may not have a large effect, yet together they can work to strengthen a student’s ability to learn. In the case of language learning, adding various language labs makes the students feel that this is a classroom that requires active involvement in its activities. It also reflects that the students will not just sit and take notes, but they will act out as active members in that classroom. A classroom environment that allows pupils to work together in order to perform their learning tasks and allows maximum cooperative learning will represent an ideal classroom environment which in its turn pave the way for a successful and joyful language learning experience (Tayib,2015). Tsavga (2011) asserts that the learning environment plays a crucial role in determining students’ success as it determines how a pupil behaves and handles his learning tasks. Indeed, the environment in which one finds himself tends to mould his behaviour so as to meet the demands of learning. The physical environment reflects the teacher’s teaching style. If you want your pupils to collaborate in small groups, for example, organize them around tables or clusters of desks. For frequent whole-group discussions, try a circle or U-shaped desk configuration. If you plan on an individualized, self-paced curriculum, you might set up learning stations.
The physical facilities should also reflect you. Don’t hesitate to give the room your personal touch with plants, art, rugs, posters, and maybe some cozy pillows for the reading corner.
“Creating a caring, child-centered environment takes lots of thought and planning,” says fifth-grade teacher Frank Garcia. “Basic bulletin boards are not enough.
In Reggio Emilia, a northern Italian town whose early childhood programs are internationally acclaimed, classrooms feature displays of children’s work, collections of “found” objects, ample space for supplies (all aesthetically arranged), and clearly designated spaces for large- and small-group activities. Reggio Emilia educators stress the need for a classroom facilities and environment that informs and engages the child. They consider the physical facilities and environment to be “another teacher.” And in the sense that it can motivate children, enhance learning, and reduce behavior problems, environment and facilities really is an extra teacher.
Author and educator Mike Hopkins points out that personal teaching style and specific educational needs should largely determine how you design your classroom space. Hopkins urges teachers to forget about the way things have always been done and to visit museums, libraries, other schools, and colleagues’ classrooms to identify different ways of organizing learning space.
Many teachers prefer to create different areas within the classroom. For example, a classroom might feature a quiet reading corner, a music area where students can play soft music while completing work, a discussion/conversation center, a large table for cooperative projects, spaces for wet or messy projects, multimedia spaces, learning centers or stations, and individual work areas.
Easily accessible materials and supplies can eliminate delays, disruptions, and confusion as students prepare for activities. In poorly arranged classrooms, students spend a lot of time waiting-waiting in line, waiting for help, waiting to begin. To eliminate some waiting, store frequently used items such as scissors and paste in several different areas.
Desk Placement in many classrooms, the largest amount of space is devoted to the arrangement of individual student desks. Teachers vary greatly on their preferred arrangements, but most agree that the days of 30 desks lined in neat rows and facing the teacher’s desk up front are long gone. Instead, some teachers like to arrange desks in cooperative groups of four, while many others prefer a U-shaped configuration, where everyone has a front row seat.
“Arrange the room so that you can make eye contact with every student and reach each student with ease,” suggests sixth-grade teacher Jane Baird. But no matter how you arrange desks, don’t be afraid to make changes.
“Set your room up, and at the end of each unit or each month, evaluate and make changes,” advises fifth grade teacher Laurie Borger. “Move the students’ desks on a regular basis so all children learn to cooperate with all children.”
Second-grade teacher Pamela Shannon agrees: “Don’t be afraid to make seat and desk changes if the arrangement doesn’t work. You are in charge.”
Environmental Preferences
Other important environmental features include temperature, lighting, and noise level. These factors affect students in different ways and are directly related to individual learning styles. Studies suggest that when teachers adjust the environment to students’ preferences, the students perform better academically and are better behaved.
How can you address environmental preferences in the classroom? Here are some tips from research and practice:
Create both well-lit and dimly-lit areas in the classroom by using bookcases, screens, plants, and other furniture. Some children learn best in bright light, but others do significantly better in low light. Bright light actually makes some students restless and hyperactive. Try allowing students to sit where they feel most comfortable or try placing fidgety children in low-light areas and listless children in brighter areas.
Provide opportunities for children to move around while visiting learning centers and other special classroom areas. Most of us have the mistaken impression that children learn best when sitting still, but research now proves that many children need extensive mobility while learning. These children learn significantly more if they move from one area to another as they acquire new information. Establish informal furniture arrangements where students can sit on soft chairs or pillows, or lounge on the carpet. Another myth is that children learn best when sitting up straight in hard chairs. About 75 percent of the total body weight is supported on only foursquare inches of bone when humans sit up straight in a hard chair, so it is easy to understand how the resulting stress on the buttock tissues causes fatigue, discomfort, and the need for frequent changes in posture. Research supports the common-sense notion that many students pay better attention and achieve higher grades in more comfortable settings.
Establish listening stations with headsets for children who need sound, and quiet study areas for those who work best in silence. Many children disprove another commonly held conception: that silence helps kids concentrate better.
Help students become aware of their own temperature preferences and encourage them to dress accordingly. Temperature preferences vary dramatically, and most children can’t concentrate when they are either too cool or too warm.
Designing Classroom Space The sky’s the limit when it comes to designing classroom space. Beverly Kirk, from Carson City Nevada, had her husband make a special desk with a recessed top to keep math manipulative in one place. Marilyn Aldrich, from Westhampton Beach, New York, uses flat pizza boxes, stacked for storage, to house math manipulative and other materials. And Jack George, who teaches fourth grades in Rome, New York, built an eight-foot high loft (it can hold six children) in his classroom that functions as a puppet theatre, quiet reading/writing space, teaching platform, private conference center, test make-up area, and place to stage skits, science experiments, and The classroom, and how its furnishings and contents are arranged, can be a powerful teaching tool, or an undirected and unrecognized negative influence on learning. While the student-teacher relationship, the educator’s instructional skill, and his/her proficiency in positive behavior management are the most important factors in promoting high achievement and pro-social behavior, the physical and social systems in classrooms are inextricably intertwined.
The classroom is not merely a benign homogeneous cube, but rather a network of varied and interconnected micro-environments. Even if it appears to be simply a large cube containing seats, some kids have a better view of the board or the teacher (or the birds on the window sill), some parts of the room are hotter or colder, and some places are better lit than others. Historically, the teachers of younger children seemed to be more cognizant of the influence of the classroom facilities on such things as movement, learning, behavior, and the support of teaching goals. More so nowadays, teachers who instruct above the pre-kindergarten and primary grades are recognizing the need to arrange items and “decorate” the classroom in a manner that facilitates positive interaction and learning.
Even in the first few months of life, children begin to experiment with language. Children take their first critical steps toward learning to read and write very early in life. Children learn to use symbols, combining their oral language, pictures, print, and play into a coherent mixed medium and creating and communicating meanings in a variety of ways. Recently, many schools have made significant investments in upgraded classrooms,
Research Purposes
Ascertain the relationship between classroom physical environment and pupils acquisition of phonics awareness skills in reading
To examine the relationship between the classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of vocabulary skills in reading.
Determining the relationship between the classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of Comprehensive skills in reading
Accessing the relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and pupils mastering of fluency skills in reading
To Ascertain the relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and pupils mastering of scribble skills in handwriting
Determining the relationship between the physical facilities of the class room and pupils acquisition of drawing skills in hand writing.
Ascertain the relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and pupils acquisition of mark marking skills in handwriting
Significance Of The Study
The result of the study will be significant in the following ways:-
Bring to the knowledge of the ECC curriculum planners/designers to design the curriculum to meet with the cognitive capacity of the children Spur the government of Akwa Ibom state to make basic provisions for necessary materials that the ECC teachers can use while teaching Enlighten ECC teachers to the necessity of games instructional method in the classroom Expose book publishers tothen feed to include teaching methods and games in mathematics text books for children, Encourage parents to make basic provisions for appropriate gaming materials for the children to play with while at home.
Research Questions
What is the relationship between classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of phonics awareness skills in reading
What is the relationship between classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of vocabulary skills in reading
To what extent is the relationship between classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of Comprehensive skills in reading
How does the relationship between classroom physical facilities and pupils mastering of fluency skills in reading
What is there relationship between physical environment of the classroom and pupils mastering of scribble skills in handwriting
What is the relationship between physical facilities of the classroom and pupils acquisition of drawing skills in handwriting
To what extent is the relationship between physical facilities of the classroom and pupils mastering of mark marking in handwriting
Research Hypothesis
The following null hyptheses will be formulated to guide this study:
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and pupils acquisition of phonetic awareness in reading.
Ho2: There is no significant relationship between classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of vocabulary skills in reading
Ho3: There is no significant relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and pupils acquisition of Comprehensive skills in reading
Ho4: There is no significant relationship between the classroom physical facilities and pupils mastering of fluency skills in reading
Ho5: There is no significant relationship between the classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of Scribble skills in handwriting
Ho6: There is no significant relationship between the physical facilities of the classroom and mastering of drawing skills in hand writing
Ho7: There is no significant relationship between the classroom physical facilities and pupils acquisition of mark marking skills in handwriting.
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