Your classroom is a place your need to feel comfortable because you are going to be spending a lot of time there. While the decor has to look great, the layout is just as important. This handy guide will help you make decisions on how to set up your classroom to teach reading. While I cannot stand next to you this summer as you organize your classroom, this guide was designed to help you ask yourself a series of questions, so your classroom meets your needs as a reading teacher.
One Important Question
The most important question you must ask yourself is: What will reading instruction look like in my classroom? You might have thought that reading instruction and how to set up your classroom to teach reading were separate ideas. But they are connected. Until you have a general outline, it will be hard to set up your classroom to function with that instruction. How much of your time will your instruction be for the whole group or small groups.
Zones of Instruction to Teach Reading
I like to think of a classroom as different zones. Just like a city planner has commercial, residential, and industrial zones, a classroom has different areas that function differently.
Whole Group – You will probably be doing some type of whole group instruction either in reading, math, or any other subject you will teach.
- Where will the students sit during whole group instruction?
- Where will you be most of the time during whole group instruction?
- Can you see all of your students?
- What tools or technology will you be using?
Read Aloud – Will you be reading aloud to your students?
- Will the students sit in their whole group seats for read-aloud?
- Will you have an area on the floor for students to sit during read-aloud?
- Are you sitting or standing to read aloud? If you are sitting, what type of chair will you sit in?
- Will you use a document camera as you read aloud?
Small Group Instruction – Where will you do your small group instruction? This is a key consideration for you to decide how to set up your classroom to teach reading.
- Will you have a small group table?
- If you do not have a table, where will you teach? (on the floor with clipboards, student desks grouped together)
- What materials will you need for your small groups?
- Where will you store your materials, and how will you keep them separated for each group you work with?
- What will your other students be doing during your small group instruction? Where will they be working?
Classroom Library – Do you have a classroom library? You want to think ahead for a classroom library. You need to know how much space you need or will need in the future as your library grows. I like to store my books by topic or author in bins like these.
- Where will it be located?
- How much space will it take up?
- Is it too close to my small group area?
- Can I see the students at all times?
If you need help with this, I have a free guide to setting up your classroom library.
Centers – Are your students going to visit learning centers? Often students are in learning centers as you do small group instruction with other students, so you need to think through this zone of your classroom
- Will the learning centers be at students' desks or other areas of the classroom?
- Will the learning centers be a permanent spot or in baskets that are brought out when needed?
Book Clubs or Cooperative Learning – Will your students do book clubs or other cooperative group tasks? Want to learn more about book clubs?
Extra Help – If you are lucky enough to have extra help in your classroom, where will they work with students? You need to think through this area, so you are not pushed out of an area where you want to work with students. I know I have ended up on the floor with students because I didn't think this through. Ideally, you need an area for both of you!
The better your classroom spaces function, the smoother your school year will go. So take the time to think through your classroom layout. It is easier to tweak things during the year rather than start over!
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