English Teacher Perception Towards Classroom Seating Arrangement in Senior High School

Abstract

This study aims to explain how an English teacher manages the seating arrangement and what are the preferences of seating arrangement in senior high school’s classroom in English learning. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method with a thematic analysis design. This research was conducted by an interview with an English teacher in an international high school. The result of this study specifies the types of seating arrangement that the teacher applied in the English classrooms that she taught. The results revealed that there were four preferences of seating arrangement in her classrooms, i.e., flexible seating arrangement, U-shaped seating arrangement, classical seating arrangement, and cluster seating arrangement. Flexible seating arrangement means that the teacher considers students’ comfort, the teaching method, and the students’ level proficiency. The most often used seating arrangement in English classes that the teacher teaches is U-Shaped. The classical seating arrangement also applied based on the students’ request. Last but not least, the cluster seating arrangement is usually used for group work. This study suggests implications for English teachers so the teachers can know the role and the types of seating arrangement to support English learning in their classroom. Moreover, this study suggests implication for the teachers to know the various types of classroom seating models that can be used as suggestions to be applied in English language learning classes so that learning can be well supported.