4 Proximity to Instructor
Definition
Intentional student placement (e.g., classroom desk) near the teacher to increase quick access to support as well as to increase focus and attention.
In action
Ensure that student placement decisions are based on support needs for each educational context (e.g., classroom, gymnasium).
Support Strategies
- Identify core instructional supports needed (e.g., verbal or visual prompts) for the student and use these to determine appropriate proximity arrangements.
- If using flexible seating, ensure the student with the proximity accommodation is able to retain appropriate closeness to the teacher
- During group work or other times when the student is not in their typical seat, move closer to the student when providing instructions or feedback
- Ask the student for feedback about the seating arrangement
- When using close proximity, be sure to consider ways to decrease teacher reliance while maintaining sufficient student support through self-management, visual supports, peer mediated instruction and other strategies.
Case Study
Student: Grade 8 student in a math class.
Content: The teacher is introducing vocabulary for the algebra unit.
Problem: The student is seated at the back of the class and is mixing up the words “equation” and “expression.”
Solution: The teacher seats the student closer to the board, so they have a clear view of the vocabulary, referring to it while they complete their work.
Additional Resources
- Fact sheet on proximity control from the IRIS Center
- Exhaustive summary of research and strategies on effective classroom arrangement from the IRIS Center
- Primer for inclusive education including a description of environmental arrangement from Reading Rockets
- Article on how proximity to instructor can help students with sensory processing issues from the Child Mind Institute
