Do you find it difficult to concentrate on your work if you are too cold or hot? Perhaps glaring florescent lights give you a headache, or lots of background noise distracts you from completing certain tasks? Your environment affects your ability to be productive, so why should it be any different with your students? Numerous studies have shown that everything from the wall color to the air quality in a classroom can impact students ability to learn.

The majority of your students' days are spent in the classroom. There are plenty of teaching strategies about how to boost student engagement levels and support their academic interests. However, teachers also need to consider how their classrooms may discourage their students from learning. A study by the University of Salford found that classroom design could have as much as a 25 percent positive or negative impact on a student's academic progress during a school year. To help your students succeed, pay attention to these three areas:

1. Classroom layout
The traditional classroom setup arranges students' desks in rows facing the front. Consider mixing up the classroom layout each week or month to encourage collaboration or attentiveness. Students may like being able to move around and see their classroom from different perspectives.

2. Lighting
Harsh fluorescent lighting can impact a student's ability to learn or concentrate in the classroom. A study published in Sage Journals found that when a group of third graders were exposed to normal lighting then softer, LED lighting, the latter led to a higher percentage increase in oral reading fluency performance.

3. Colors
The colors around your classroom can stimulate learning or impact your students' moods. For example, yellow is commonly used to maintain attention or cultivate positive feelings. Red encourages alertness and excitement. Green and purple promote calmness and serenity. 

To learn more, consider taking the online course "Learning Centers That Inspire." Or, you can take your kids outside and check out our course called "Designing an Outdoor Classroom." Contact a representative from ProSolutions Training today to learn more!