Flexible Seating
Overview
Flexible seating refers to the practice of offering students a range of work surfaces, seating sizes and heights, movement, and varied body positions in the classroom. It often incorporates a range of technologies, such as tablets, laptops, interactive whiteboards, and online workspaces connected to high-speed internet to offer a more personalized learning experience. Flexible seating should be adaptable, allowing students to change their seating based on learning tasks, during individual and group work. Grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), flexible seating serves as a key element within the broader framework of inclusive, flexible classroom strategies, the effectiveness of which relies on the teacher's pedagogical approach aligning with student-centered learning. Flexible seating empowers students to make decisions that align best with their individual learning preferences and needs, fostering problem-solving, self-awareness, and Self-Regulation skills. Moreover, flexible seating is associated with increased student engagement, Motivation, Collaboration, improved academic performance, and overall student satisfaction. Flexible seating is particularly beneficial for students with disabilities, as it caters to their diverse learning needs and reduces the need to ask for accommodations, which can be difficult for some students.
Flexible classroom spaces foster a sense of Identity and empowerment while cultivating a supportive environment that enhances students' social-emotional well-being and physical Safety. Teachers play a key role in this approach by providing structure and feedback to ensure meaningful and effective choices as well as sharing their observations with students about their performance and progress when they make certain choices. Setting clear expectations can support learners to make the best decisions and reduce the risk of distraction.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch how teachers in a school district implement flexible seating in their classrooms.
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Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.