Effective Learning Environments

Effective learning environments: a critical review of the literature.

According to Bates (2016), teachers’ main objective is to build the appropriate conditions for students to thrive. Therefore, to achieve so, they should create effective environments in which students fit in the context of learning. Consequently, to accomplish so, many characteristics of these effective learning environments will be brought to light. Thus, features as differentiation, inclusion, behaviour management, attachment, character and learning styles are essential to build an effective learning environment.

Moreover, as reported by Pachler, Barnes and Field (2009:203), teachers should consider that students have individual and diverse needs, which are listed as: gender, interest, self-concept, self-esteem, social class, ethnic background and first language. Therefore, teachers need to provide equal learning experiences so students can be engaged in lessons. Thusly, differences need to be catered individually by constructing an environment of equal opportunities so that students can take profit of their capacities and improve them by taking into consideration their previous knowledge, and then reinforce and improve it. Furthermore, as Visser (1993) defends, “differentiation is not about troubleshooting. It is a concept that has to be seen in an inclusive way, applying to everyone”. And therefore, differentiation leads to inclusion, another feature which is of essential importance. In the National Curriculum (1999:20), inclusion is defined as “providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils”, it sets out three main aspects which are indispensable to promote a more embracing curriculum: “setting suitable learning challenges; responding to pupils’ diverse needs and overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils” (DfEE/QCA 1999:20 as cited in Pachler, Barnes and Field, 2009:203).

Moreover, another important aspect of effective learning environments is that of behaviour management, as stated in Rogers (2011), although pupils’ behaviour can impede learning and obstruct their educational success, ensuring proper and secure learning environments is of great importance to manage behaviour effectively. Therefore, is the teachers’ responsibility to build a positive classroom climate by managing adequately pupils’ behaviour (Rogers, 2012:191).

Besides, teachers are known as figures in pupils’ shaping and development, hence pupils should consider them as attachment figures, and that is the reason why “attachment influences students school success” (Bergin and Bergin, 2009).

A secure attachment is regarded as more helpful on students’ educational improvement than that of insecure attachment. Thusly, building teachers and students relationships is of great relevance to increase and secure their success (Bergin and Bergin, 2009).

As Geddes (2007) defends, pupils behave in different ways for a reason, which is mainly the way they have been treated, consequently they are not “naughty” or “difficult” for any reason.  Students attachment figures (parents, teachers and role models) are influencing them considerably, and thus is of compelling relevance to be positive modelling figures.

Furthermore, as seen in the National Curriculum, “education should prepare children for adult life, giving them the skills and character traits needed to succeed academically, have a fulfilling career, and make a positive contribution to British society” (DFE, 2016a:20). Leading to the last statement to consider which is the importance of needing teachers who promote positive character among their students.

Another key point which is included in the notion of effective learning environment is related to how teachers present their lessons and activities to their students. Therefore, as seen in Pritchard (2009), students do not learn similarly, and thus leads teachers to the need of differentiating materials “not only by level of difficulty but also by leaning style” (Pritchard, 2009:43). Accordingly, it is known that learners follow different ways of learning which might be much more easily applicable to them. Besides, if teachers are not aware of their students’ preferences in learning, they can be irredeemably led to failure (Pritchard, 2009:43). Accordingly, it is of great importance that teachers acknowledge students learning styles so that they can engage them in the activity of learning (Pritchard, 2009:56).

This essay will focus on the theory of attachment (Bowlby, 1988), which is defined as an affective bond, of social nature, between two people and characterised by conducts in which both search for proximity, interaction and serves as reference for future relationships with the physical and social conception of the world. This theory has been accepted as the most solid and consistent explanation of how children develop emotional ties in childhood with the people closest to them. Besides, these affective ties provide the security that allows them to explore their surroundings and start to shape their development. Attachment theory highlights the important role of other people who can take care of children within and outside the family, such as siblings, grandparents, friends and states increasingly possible influence of other adults, such as teachers, being able to compensate even insecure attachments with parents and finding similarities between parent-child and teacher-student relationships (Pianta, 1999). Besides, Bowlby (1988) used the term "figures of subsidiaries attachment" to refer to those who, in the absence of parents or principal figures, assumed the care and protection of children. Furthermore, Erikson (1968) considered the first year of life as crucial for the development of attachment, coinciding with the phase of trust against mistrust. Confidence would be accompanied by a sense of wellbeing and a lack of fear of the future; this confidence would stablish lasting expectations about the world as a good and safe place to live. Erikson (1968) believed that the sense of confidence was acquired thanks to the sensible parents who would respond to child’s needs.

On the other hand, relating attachment theories and influential features to the learning environment, it can be noted that the lack of motivation is considerably the greatest need when teaching Foreign Languages. Besides, students must feel empathic and interested with people using the target language, and thus of importance is that of students being receptive and willing to study a foreign culture as well (Barton, 2006). Therefore, to be able to defeat the lack of motivation in both teachers and students, it is mandatory to build self-confidence as it is a significant aspect in predisposing students attitudes towards learning. Although it is known that motivation will continue to be a great challenge for teachers, it is not just their responsibility to teach languages but to sell their knowledge to their students as the enriching experience which teachers admit it to be (Barton, 2006).

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