Effects of the Spatial Arrangement of the School Class on Verbal Communication between Teacher and Students

Abstract

The article deals with a comparison of the influence of functional distance on verbal communication in school lessons. To measure the functional distance, we used a measuring tape. The verbal communication was being noted in a scoreboard as the number of reactions to the teacher’s lecture during the lesson. The research sample was made out of high school pupils. Besides the linear-column arrangement of class, a semi-circular arrangement was used. A negative influence of the functional distance on verbal communication was found. We suggest that the teachers walk among the benches in their class, or, alternatively, that they use a semicircle organization of the benches. Our suggestion regarding the research would be involving personality factors introversion – extraversion and dependence – independence from the field.