The Learning Environment .1 General Introduction

4.3 The Learning Environment

safety should always be the top priority when designing the classroom layout and planning activities.

4.3.3 Wall and floor

Classrooms should be spacious. Narrow and elongated rooms or rooms with large pillars should be avoided. The rooms should have suitable facilities and space for activities, adequate lighting and good ventilation. It is advisable to paint the wall with a soft colour to give a natural and comfortable feeling. The use of bright coloured paints on the other hand will help to arouse children’s pleasant and exciting feelings. Walls which are within easy reach of children can be covered with plastic boards or ceramic tiles to facilitate easy cleaning or posting of children’s work. The floor surface must be kept clean and dry at all times. The materials used for covering the floor should be of a more durable nature, easy to clean, able to absorb sound, and suitable for sitting, e.g. rubber tiles, rubber mats, etc.

4.3.4 Layout of activity centres

To prepare an activity centre which caters for children’s interests, the pre-primary educator must observe specified requirements in size and capacity. “Active” and “quiet” activity centres should be separated to avoid groups of children disturbing each other. Interest corners, toys and facilities for creative activities should be diversified and changed periodically according to the developmental needs of children.

be placed so that children can take a rest there. Individual child should also be allowed to go inside alone to calm down his/her emotion when necessary. If the room is too small due to physical constraints, special installations could be used e.g. movable shelves, sand boxes, water tanks, etc..

4.3.5 Arrangement of furniture

To ensure effective supervision, the height of classroom furniture or partitioning boards should not block the view of the pre-primary educator. The furniture should not be centralised in one specific learning centre but should be placed evenly and fully utilised for partitioning purposes. The height of toy and art cabinets or racks should be within easy reach of children. Cabinets should be sufficiently heavy to be stable and equipped with locking wheels so they can be easily moved or used as partitions. The back of cabinets can also be used for display of children’s work. It is advisable to arrange tables and chairs in groups due to the following advantages :

1. More space could be spared for activity centres.

2. Toys and teaching aids may be used effectively and flexibly so that children may have more fun.

3. Children, when seated in groups, will have more chances to interact with one another and it is also easier to swap activities.

4. Such arrangement will help the pre-primary educator to give individual care and attention to children, build up a cordial and friendly relationship with children, and help to make the

Tables can be arranged in different combinations. The height of tables and chairs should be of the height that children can rest their forearms when they sit down. The height of chairs should be such that the feet of children can reach the ground when they are sitting.

Desks should be placed near cabinets that store learning materials on condition that there is sufficient space for children to move around.

4.3.6 Displays inside the classroom

Display boards and strings can be used inside the classroom to display children’s work. Potted-plants can also be used to beautify the classroom. The layout of the classroom can be periodically changed according to the curriculum so as to give children a fresh impression all the time. The display on boards can also motivate children to learn. Displaying children’s work should serve as an encouragement to children rather than an exhibition of a small number of outstanding work. Each child should have a chance to exhibit his/her work, and participate in mounting displays and hanging decorations. Exhibits should be changed periodically and mounted within the eye level of children.

4.3.7 Arrangement for physical activities

Factors such as safety, space, floor materials, etc., should not be overlooked when arranging a suitable physical play area. For

without outdoor areas, the indoor play area should be spacious, ad the noise problem should also be taken into consideration. Pre-primary educators can occasionally take children in groups to nearby parks or sitting-out areas, provided that there is sufficient manpower to look after the children. Equipment for physical play should be in varied forms. This can help to promote children’s interest in climbing, crawling, balancing, jumping, etc.. Physical play can also be integrated with role play. For instance, traffic signs, roadblocks, and petrol stations, etc., can be placed in cycling areas to enable children to have more fun in playing. If activities take place outdoors, careful planning and preparation must be made before the outdoor activities take place to ensure that sufficient manpower will be deployed to take care of children to minimise the possibility of accidents. As to outdoor/indoor physical play, pre-primary educators should train children to observe rules and help them know what they should do to ensure their own safety and that of other children. Moreover, special attention should be paid to the suitability of the venue as well as the safety standards of play equipment. Carpets or rubber mats should be placed under the equipment. Regular checking of all play facilities is required to make sure that nothing has been damaged.

The joints of iron or wooden equipment are liable to damage and wear and tear. When damage or defects are detected, repair work should be done immediately. To ensure safety, pre-primary educators should double check the apparatus and equipment before using them.

4.3.8 Classroom Layout

Classroom is the place where various activities of children take place.

The pre-primary educator should be aware of the importance of the learning environment. A well-planned and well-prepared learning environment when flexibly used, will provide a fruitful and stimulating setting and maximise opportunities for children’s learning.

Three sample classroom layout plans are given below:

Classroom layout plan* - Sample 1

*The arrangement of the classroom layout plan should vary according to the resources of each individual classroom.

Classroom layout plan* - Sample 2

Classroom layout plan* - Sample 3

*The arrangement of the classroom layout plan should vary according to the resources of each individual classroom.