The classroom pictured below looks comforting and inviting, however there are characteristics that may get in the way of reading instructions.
- Area to the right contains pictures that are difficult to see. This area would be a great place for a pocket chart.
- American flag is blocking the alphabet
- Keyword for “W” is whip. Whip may be pronounced with and without the consonant blend “wh.” A word like “web” would be a better choice.
- Some chairs are facing away from the front of the room. If the teacher needs to address the class, students will not be positioned to see the teacher speak.
- The left and right sides of the desk are indistinguishable which can be confusing if a teacher refers to “left” or “right.” A strip of colored tape on the the left side of the desk would fix the problem.
- While reading rugs can be welcoming, it can be difficult to teach specific reading skills in this setting.
- Area to the left is cluttered. Instead of cards valentines and photographs, perhaps a short list of important words that cannot be sounded out. For example, “was,” “from,” and “said.”
