Supported by: Government of Indonesia (GoI) and Islamic Development Bank (idb)

 
2. Pairs
Having the students sit in pairs seating arrangement is when the two students’ desks are together 
and spaced away from other pairs. Pairs allow the students to work together and independently. The 
students are all facing the teacher and front of the classroom. It is easy to have the students see the 
instructional aids that could be used. In this situation children can take tests and the teacher can easily 
monitor. They can do activities and learn cooperatively. This arrangement allows the teacher to walk 
around the classroom and monitor all the students. Before you arrange your class using this seating 
arrangement, you need to decide which students can be paired together and not misbehave or lower their 
academic stamina. 
There are some advantages of using pair work to organize students’ activities (Doff, 1988). 
Students will have more language practice with their friends. Students will be more involved in the 
activities because they need to practice the language with his/her partners. Besides, the students will also 
feel more secure. They work independently with their partners, if one of them cannot do the activities, 
his/her partners will be able to help him/her. You still need to monitor the students’ activities and offer 
assistance when needed. Thus, by assigning pair work activities, you also give opportunities for your 
students to help one another. 
To make the pair work activities more successful, you can do the following activities: 
 
You need to demonstrate the pair work by asking questions round the class, or by asking one pair of 
the students to ask and answer questions round the class. Then, students would know exactly how to 
do the task. 
 
You need to be more active in starting the pair work. Instead of just saying, “Now, work in pair,” you 
can decide who should do the task with whom, check that every one has a partner, especially, if it is 
the first pair work the students do. 
 
During the activity, move around the class monitor your students. If they cannot do the task properly, 
you can help them. If they have finish, you can stop the activities.
 
After the pair work, you can ask one or two pairs to demonstrate what they said during the activity.

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The downfall of pair seating arrangements is again that there are students that will be in the back 
and the corners of the room. Also, this arrangement doesn’t allow for much class discussion because the 
students are not facing each other and it is hard to hear and see who is talking. To allow the children to 
work together is necessary for the teacher to make sure the class as a whole can have a partner and work 
together. It is important that the teacher picks out the pairs so there isn’t anyone left out.