Optimal Learning Environments
much to bend or extend our arm when
writing, how much force to use when
pressing on a pencil and how much to
adjust, stretch, and move our body to
avoid cramping or discomfort while
sitting. One of the main considerations
related to the position sense at school
is that traditional classroom furniture
is often not conducive to posture that
supports neuromuscular or sensory
needs, such that children are often in
poor positions for much of their time
in the classroom.
One of the main ways in which
the position sense is often compro-
mised at school is due to the common
significant mismatch between size
of students in relation the chairs and
desks they use throughout the day.
In fact, several studies suggest that
less than 20% of school children sit at
chair-desk combinations suitable for
their body height. Considering the
vast range of height and weight among
students and the custom of equipping
classrooms with few or sometimes
only one size of chairs and desks, it
is not surprising that few students
find an optimal match. Complicating
the equation further is the fact that
dimensions for children in the ear-
lier grades change in the same child
from the beginning to end of a school
year. The situation is compounded
by the fact that a great deal of school
furniture is out of date and does not
conform to minimum orthopedic or
physiological requirements.
A simple rule of healthy ergonomics
is the 90-90-90 rule. Early orthope-
dic studies recognized that keeping
most joints (i.e. at the head/neck, the
elbows, and the hips/knees) at 90˚
angles reduced stress on muscles and
joints. Chairs and desks that are not
the appropriate size for student make
this ergonomically-sound position
impossible.
Position Sense Solutions
at School
Adjustable height chairs and desks
offer the best solution to ensuring that
students are sitting in optimal posi-
tions for learning and paying atten-
tion. Office “task” or “swivel” chairs
30 essentials | winter 2019
An adjustable height task chair allows this
student to sit in an ergonomically positive
position at the correct height for his size; the
motion in the chair also give him the chance
to move in safe and appropriate ways that will
help him to stay alert and to pay attention.
with pneumatic mechanisms provide
some of the most cost-effective ways
to offer appropriate heights for stu-
dents. Adjustable height desks are an
alternative solution, but they are often
more cumbersome to adjust. If adjust-
ing a seat to the optimal height at a
table or desks brings the student’s feet
off the floor, a small step stool, box
or foot ring can be a simple remedy.
Consideration of the placement of
visual information, distances between
furniture, heights of other classroom
materials, such as shelving or hooks,
and organization of materials that
need to be reached or put away can
also improve the positioning used by
students throughout their school day.
The Movement Sense
(The Vestibular Sense)
The sense of movement detects
the pull of gravity and movements of
the head, so that we can perceive the
way we are moving through the world.
Some people may know that this sense
has something to do with the feeling of
being dizzy when we turn around and
that is also the sense that controls bal-
ance. However, there are many other
important roles of this sensory system
which are not commonly known. Like
the position sense, the sense of move-
ment operates in an automatic way
to support many basic functions. For
example, this sense helps us coordinate
motions of our eyes and head, in actions