1.

0 CULTURE
What exactly does culture mean? Is it something material you can touch? Or is it
something immaterial, such as values and beliefs? Or is it our customs and traditions, our
festivals and celebrations? While anthropologists have vacillated between material and
nonmaterial definitions of culture, today most would agree with a more inclusive definition of
culture: the thoughts, behaviors, languages, customs, the things we produce and the methods
we use to produce them. It is this, the human ability to create and transmit culture, that
differentiates us as humans from the rest of the animal world.
There are other different views on the concept of culture. In literary terms, various
definitions have been put forward about the culture or cultures. The word culture is derived
from Sanskrit, which is formed from the word buddhayah that is interpreted as matters related
to human sense and reason. In English, the word culture is derived from the Latin meaning
Colere which means work or perform. Meanwhile, Kamus Dewan (2007) define culture as a
civilization, progress of mind and common sense. While culture was described as a way of life
which includes how to act, behave and think. Culture is also a result of the activities and the
creation of a material or spiritual from a community. It is inherited from one generation to
another generation, passed down orally, or through observation of practice.
Great differences, as well as startling similarities, can be seen when comparing world
cultures. People around the globe are similar in their essential humanity: we communicate with
each other, we sustain ourselves with food, and when we sleep we often dream. Yet we speak
different languages, eat different foods, and dream different dreams. These are what we call
cultural differences. What causes them is not always obvious to the ordinary person. Thus, there
are cultural differences between societies and culture can be learned.
All in all, culture means the way of life. It is a process of development of the personality,
mind, spirit and human effort in cluster. This can be seen through the etymology of the word
culture itself that means its power, the sense as the internal aspects of the human mind and
thoughts. While force as the physical aspects of work and products. Culture can be said to be
the production of human society in various forms, whether it is visible or not. The concept of
culture is very important to compare the differences of the community with a community.
Diversity communities will embody the diversity of cultures, such as those found in Malaysia.

2.0 CULTURE- FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

Breeding a culture-friendly environment in a classroom today is the most important thing.
The environment for children coming from different cultures should be friendly, warm and
comfortable. They should also be given the freedom to understand and learn in a way they are
comfortable in. As the world is turning into a smaller place, diversity of culture becomes an
integral part of today's society. Everyone is everywhere! You will find Malays, Chinese, Indians,
Siameses, all together under a single roof in schools, universities and work places.
Accepting a culture-friendly environment can be easily inculcated in today's youth
through their classrooms. It is the best and most important place to teach about different
cultures, as that's where teachers will find kids from diverse cultures growing up and learning
together. If children are exposed to a culture-friendly environment right from their academic
years, it will be really easy for them to get along with children from other cultures. It will also
cultivate in them the value of respecting other cultures and religions.
The responsibility of creating a culture-friendly environment in a classroom, lies mainly in
the hands of the teachers and the management of the school. It is important that the school
authorities and teachers themselves believe in a culture-friendly environment which treats
everyone as equals. There should be no sort of bias based on cast, creed, color, race, and so
forth. It is easy to identify who comes from which culture, just by their appearance, though
accepting them as they are is what needs to be taught to the young ones.
Malaysia has a multi-racial and multi-ethnic culture, as for that teachers need to make
sure that the classroom must always be culture friendly so that the learning process can be
done effectively. It will create a situation where students will feel safe at school as well as
having fun when learning. There are several factors that the teachers should consider in order
to create a friendly culture classroom environment. Different classroom may have different
factors that lead in building a classroom environment. If teachers can analyze the factors, they
can easily manage the strategies that suit their students need. The factors that the teachers
should consider are managing physical environment, socio-emotional, teaching and learning,
and so forth.

3.0 CREATING A CULTURE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT : PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Savage and Savage (2010) describe the physical environment of the classroom as the
arrangement of the space, including furniture and bulletin boards, which should communicate to
all who enter what will be expected of them while they occupy the space. In other words, the
physical environment of the classroom refers to the overall appearance of the classroom
including the classroom size, arrangement of desks, bulletin boards, ventilation, numbers of
students in the classroom, lighting, colors on the walls, and the organization of materials found
within the classroom. Teachers must create a friendly culture-environment for the students.
3.1 Cleanliness, Lighting and Ventilation
One of the most important environmental features are cleanliness, lighting, ventilation
and noise level. These factors affect students in different ways and are directly related to
individual learning styles.
Firstly, the teachers help students become aware of their own temperature preferences
and encourage them to dress accordingly. Temperature preferences vary dramatically, and most
children can't concentrate when they are either too cool or too warm. Studies suggest that when
teachers adjust the environment to students' preferences, the students perform better
academically and are better behaved.
Then, creating both well-lit and dimly-lit areas in the classroom by using bookcases,
screens, plants, and other furniture. Some children learn best in bright light, but others do
significantly better in low light. Bright light actually makes some students restless and
hyperactive. Try allowing students to sit where they feel most comfortable, or try placing fidgety
children in low-light areas and listless children in brighter areas.
Window position is also important to create a class which is always in the fresh and
comfortable environment. A teacher must take into account the classroom climate to create an
effective classroom. Lighting aspects must be taken into consideration while determining the
sitting arrangement of the classroom. Classroom situation must be suitable which is not too
bright or not too dark. Curtains can be fitted at the windows to ensure the lighting factor is
balanced. Dark classroom will affect pupils view. Pupils are also likely to sleep in a dark
classroom, meanwhile a too bright classroom will disturb pupils views.

3.2 Floor plan

Picture 1 Floor plan of a culture-friendly classroom

The first things to consider when organizing the classroom are cleanliness, light and
temperature. Once the teacher has checked the basic elements in the classroom, they should
be thinking about the floor plan. It is another important aspect in managing physical
environment. The floor plan should maximize classroom space and reflect the teachers
individual teaching style. Taking into account are the size of classrooms and the furniture layout.
The other equipment also should be adjusted to the class level either level one or level two as
well as the teachers teaching styles.

Besides, the floor plan will also depend on the grade the teachers are teaching. For the
lower grades, the classroom setup may include many different learning areas, such as a reading
area, an art center and a technology center. The placement of these areas will depend upon the
layout of the classroom. However, when setting up these areas, teachers must keep the
following points in mind:

Room dividers should be low so that all areas are visible to us.
Areas that invite group work should not be next to quiet areas where students read or

study independently.
Art or other messy areas are best located near a sink.
We should always be able to make eye contact with all students.

Apart from that, while designing the classroom layout, teachers also must take into
consideration the space for students to move around. For an instance, they should provide
opportunities for children to move around while visiting learning centers and other special
classroom areas. Most of us have the mistaken impression that children learn best when sitting
still, but research now proves that many children need extensive mobility while learning. These
children learn significantly more if they move from one area to another as they acquire new
information. In addition, the learning environment should not be dangerous for the students.
Students should be able to maneuver around the classroom without harmful effects. The
arrangement of the classroom furniture should be done to avoid the destructive impulses of
children.
3.3 Teacher Desk
Firstly, to get an ideal physical classroom arrangement, teachers desk cannot turn
his/her back towards the pupils. Teachers desk should be placed in front of the class. The
teacher also should face the pupils. This is because pupils need guidance from the teacher in
every classroom activities. Therefore, I strongly believe that a teacher should sit in front and
facing the pupils.
The seating place of the teacher is also suitable for a demonstrative learning. This is
because in a demonstrative learning, the pupils need to focus on the teacher as a facilitator.
Apart from that, the teachers table is placed in front so as not to interfere with the pupils
movement while doing the learning activities.

3.4 Seating arrangement

The most important consideration in any arrangement of desks and other furniture in the
classroom is that students must always have a clear and unobstructed view of all instruction.
Whether the teachers giving lecture, show a video, conduct a scientific experiment, invite a
guest speaker, or use the chalkboard, it is important that every student, no matter their physical
placement, be able to see and hear what is going on. Teachers have to make sure that the
position of the table layout of pupils in the class are strategic and comfortable.
There are various forms of seating arrangement that can be formed by teachers. Among
them are the in line arrangement, circular or semi-circular, cluster groups, and a horseshoe
shape (horse shoe). Horseshoe pattern is one of the most versatile designs for any classroom.
Teachers can set up two or three large semicircles of student desks facing the chalkboard or
front of the room or scatter mini-horseshoe patterns of a few desks each about the classroom.
This pattern opens up the center front of the room for oral presentations, skits, or small group
work on the floor.
These are more examples forms of seating arrangement that can be used by the teachers:

Clusters. Another popular way of arranging student desks is in clusters or small

groupings of four or five student desks together. In a classroom of 25 students, the
teachers might have 5 clusters of 5 desks each. Separate each cluster with sufficient
space for student movement. Clusters enhance social interactions among students and

provide for easy access by the teacher.

Pairs or triads. A variation on the cluster approach is the arrangement of student desks
into small groups of two or three. Students create mini-groups of study buddies and can

work together for extended periods of time on selected projects and activities.
Rows and lines. The teachers might want to consider rows or lines as an initial
arrangement at the beginning of the year. By assigning students to specific desks, they
can learn their names and get a sense of the different personalities and instructional
needs quicker. Later, teachers can arrange the classroom in other configurations based

on the needs and abilities of students.

Combination approach. Teachers might want to use a combination of several
arrangements. A combination approach allows them several instructional options and
signals to students that both teachers and the classroom are flexible. Teachers might
invite students to suggest a variety of flexible options according to planned units of study
or personal preferences. By allowing students to make some choices in the physical

design of the classroom, teachers are providing them with an important sense of
ownership in the classroom.
However, the ideal position of pupils is in the form of environment groups. This is in line
with the Integrated Curriculum for Primary Schools (KBSR) or KSSR that emphasizes student
desk arrangement in groups. The contribution of each member of the group is a major aim of
group learning as stated by Jim Murphy in his book Teaching Practise Conversations. He stated
that one of the ways to keep the focus on students is to divide the students into pairs and small
groups.
In the context of language teaching, students who learn in a group will form a favourable
atmosphere. Pupils will be encouraged to bring the idea or opinion among them. They can also
develop their own talent or ability. Teaching in groups will make pupils become more active and
motivated to learn. During group works, pupils also may gain confidence and develop their
social skills. They are various reasons why teacher forms small groups in class. Among them is
to implement recovery activities for languages learning or other subjects. Pupils who are shy,
timid, and nervous will be given extra attention and moral support by the teacher.
In addition, this seating arrangement can save lots of classroom space. Hence, teacher
can use the saved up space to create a special corner such as reading corner and fun corner.
3.5 Special Corners
Many teachers prefer to create different areas within the classroom. For example, a
classroom might feature a quiet reading corner, a music area where students can play soft
music while completing work, a discussion/conversation center, a large table for cooperative
projects, spaces for wet or messy projects, multimedia spaces, learning centers or stations, and
individual work areas. Teachers also can establish listening stations with headsets for children
who need sound, and quiet study areas for those who work best in silence. Many children
disprove another commonly held conception that silence helps kids concentrate better.

Furthermore, a conducive classroom should have an empty space in front or at the back
of the class. It is to make it easy for the teacher to carry out a demonstrative teaching. Besides,
it can also enable pupils to walk around and actively participate in the teaching and learning
activity. Pupils will become interested in the teaching method that requires them to move around

a lot. Children love to play and move, therefore, a teacher need to understand them by
implementing various teaching techniques such as role playing and socio-drama. Hence, the
concept of learning through play should be applied by teachers especially language teachers.
So, learning spaces such as reading corner or fun corner must be created to ensure the
success of the learning process.

3.6 Classroom Decor

A neat, tidy, and catchy classroom allow students enjoy their learning. They will feel
relaxed in unthreatening atmosphere and this will motivate the students to go to school.
Teachers can dress up the walls with interesting and attractive visual aids such as posters,
pictures, bulletin board, charts or displays. All these are key components of an effective
classroom. The wall decorations should be colourful, appealing and relevant to current
classwork. They should be rotated and refreshed frequently. Teachers must take into
considerations about the cultural backgrounds of their students when dressing the walls.
Teachers may try to represent the students diversity on posters or bulletin boards. In addition,
teachers can set aside a section of the bulletin board to be their designated Student Work
Museum and post childrens drawings, written work and other projects there. They have to
make sure that each students work is displayed often because drawings, art and craftwork put
up on the walls and shelves send out a powerful message to children and their parents that their
work is appreciated. These must be displayed at locations and heights that are physically and
visually comfortably accessible to children of various ages.
Notice board is also one of the most important basic facilities in a classroom. It functions
as information provider for pupils. Notice boards shows information, classroom rules and
regulations, and duty roster. Rules and regulations are important so that pupils can abide to it
when they are in the classroom. The classroom rules and regulations can save teachers time.
Meanwhile, duty roster can ensure pupils to be responsible to clean their class. A clean and
conducive classroom can improve teaching and learning process. As for that, teachers can post
daily schedules in a place where students can read them easily. This accessibility of the
classroom schedule can help students grow comfortable with class and school routines. For
younger students, teachers can make a daily schedule that includes pictures or icons. Besides,
notice boards also give positive impacts towards pupils. Pupils are trained to be alert with the

information given by the teacher. Thus, teacher must include notice boards at the front and at
the back of the class so that it can become a source of information for pupils.
3.7 Furniture and Storage space
The arrangement of furniture in a classroom is an important decision to make before
students arrive on the first day. However, teachers should feel comfortable changing the
arrangement several times throughout the year. Furniture arrangements also should match the
policy of the educational institution and its curricula and should be comfortable to use at the
same time. Modifying and adjusting the configuration of students' desks and teachers are just
as natural as changing the location of the sofa, love seat, TV, coffee table, and lamps in our
living room at home. Teachers can establish informal furniture arrangements where students
can sit on soft chairs or pillows, or lounge on the carpet. Research supports the common-sense
notion that many students pay better attention and achieve higher grades in more comfortable
settings.
Moreover, easily accessible materials and supplies can eliminate delays, disruptions,
and confusion as students prepare for activities. In poorly arranged classrooms, students spend
a lot of time waiting such as waiting in line, waiting for help, waiting to begin. To eliminate some
waiting, teachers can store frequently used items such as scissors and paste in several different
areas. The primary classroom also should have as much storage space as possible, both for
students' personal belongings and for shared tools and materials. Each child should have a
personal space, such as a desk or a cubby and a coat hook, for his or her own things.
Other than that, general classroom storage should be easily available to older students,
who should be more responsible for collective belongings. Storage areas for any materials that
younger students may access, such as crayons or books, should be clearly labeled (with words
and pictures) so that children can clean up without teachers help.

4.0 Conclusion
Above all, the most important thing is the seating arrangement itself. In order to maintain
cultural unity and the socio-cultural diversity, a teacher should plan a seating arrangement very
carefully. A culture friendly classroom can enhance pupils confidence. It will make the pupils to
be secure to be together in one class. As shown in the plan, the position of each pupil is set
according to the group. Each group has mixed-race pupils. In a group, the pupils are not set to
sit together with their own race, they are mixed up instead. This is to prevent the development of
racial hatred in the atmosphere. The best method is to mix up all the pupils in the group so that
the spirit of unity can be built. This grouping method makes pupils feel belonged in the
classroom. Hence, they will not feel different from others.
Apart from that, teacher also needs to create a conducive learning environment through
the formation of regulations appropriate for the pupils in the classroom. Teacher also can
promote respect for different cultures, avoid prejudice and be tolerant towards others, have
sense of belonging, practice of mutual value, respect and cooperation to build unity among
pupils. Teachers also need to ensure that the class rules and set values practiced at all times so
that the sense of belonging among the students can be developed.
As a conclusion, a culture friendly classroom should be created by teacher to promote
unity among pupils of different races. The example of a good culture friendly classroom should
include the seating arrangement, sufficient facilities and special corners for pupils to do their
work or mingle around. To promote cultural unity, the seating arrangement must be mixed up
between races so that pupils can blend together with their peers without any prejudice.