Unit 4.

2 – Motivation in the Classroom

Lesson 3 – The Physical Learning Environment

We get affected not only by the psychological climate in the classroom. We are also affected by
the physical environment of the learning place. The learner is put at the disadvantage when classrooms
are overcrowded, dark and damp, when students are noisy, the passing in and out of students along
corridors are no orderly. The physical environment matter too. ..

Learning Outcome: At the end of the lesson challenge yourself to design a favorable physical learning
environment.

Activity (Group activity for submission)

1. On the basis of your experiences as students of the University, rate the following aspects of
the physical arrangement using the checklist below Use a check mark. Then answer the questions that
follow:

Aspect Yes No Remarks

Are the chairs arranged in such a way that teacher-
student interactions are facilitated?
Can every student view and read what is written on the
board?
Can the teacher see all students while presenting?
Are the chairs arranged in such a way that students can
move without unnecessary disruptions?
Is there a picture or any other fixture that disrupts
students’ attention for learning?
Is the classroom safe, clean and orderly?
Is the classroom well-ventilated?
Does the classroom have adequate lighting?
Is the classroom wide enough to allow student
movement and activities?
Does every student have a chair/desk?
If there is noise, is it academic noise that indicate
students’ engagement in learning?
Is the classroom attractive to enhance academic
learning?
Is the seat arrangement flexible?
Questions:

1. Review your checklist. Are there items that were answered NO? Are these items within the
capacity of the teacher to remedy? How?

2. Are the items answered YES truly YES? Is there still room for improvement? Explain your
answer.

3. What is academic noise? Is that something you must frown upo?

4. Is a quiet classroom necessarily favorable to learning?

Inculcating Concepts

The physical learning environment has something to do with the physical condition of the
classroom, the immediate environment of the learner. A conducive physical learning environment is one
that (refer to the table above). This is the reason why, DepEd and CHED prescribe standards for opening
a school in relation to location, classroom size, library, books, etc.). In fact during the accreditation
process, this one of the many areas that accreditors look into. Schools must meet or better exceed the
minimum standards in order to pass accreditation. But while the physical conditions of the classroom
and the person students interact with constitute their immediate environment, our students are bring to
classrooms many attitudes and beliefs as a result of being conditioned by their families, their ethnic
groups, their communities. These attitudes and beliefs influence their performance in school.