Classroom Displays That Support Learning, Not Distraction

Recent research and reflections in Teacher magazine have reignited an important conversation:
When does a classroom display stop supporting learning and start competing with it?

The article “Classroom displays – lessons from a designer-turned-teacher” highlights something many educators intuitively feel — that classrooms can become visually overwhelming, even when created with the best intentions.

As educators, we want our spaces to feel welcoming, informative and celebratory. But research suggests that when too many elements compete for attention, students can become distracted and learning can suffer.

Calm classrooms don’t happen by accident

Eye-tracking and educational studies consistently show that the brain struggles when everything is visually “loud”. Just like a supermarket aisle where every product shouts for attention, cluttered walls can make it harder for students to focus on what matters most.

This doesn’t mean classrooms should be bare. It means displays should be purposeful.

Not all walls are created equal

One of the most useful ideas from a design perspective is visual hierarchy — guiding the eye toward what matters first.

• Front walls are prime visual real estate and work best when they contain information students need every day.
• Side walls support learning when needed, housing reference materials that students can access without constant distraction.
• Back walls are ideal for celebration — student work, long-term projects and pride displays.

When displays align with how students actually use the space, they become tools rather than noise.

Empty space supports thinking

In design, empty space is not wasted space — it’s a cognitive support.

Clear spacing, alignment and restraint help information stand out. Blank walls allow the eyes to rest and make it easier for students to locate and process key information. Sometimes the most effective design choice is deciding what not to display.

Readability matters more than decoration

If students can’t easily read a display from where they sit, it’s unlikely to support learning.

Clear fonts, high contrast, appropriate sizing and thoughtful placement make a significant difference — particularly for developing readers and EAL learners. Displays that are hard to read quickly fade into the background, regardless of how much effort went into creating them.

Choosing displays that earn their place

A helpful question suggested in the article is one worth returning to regularly:

Does this display actively support learning right now?

If a resource is being referenced, discussed and used, it belongs on the wall. If not, it may be time to rotate it out and make space for something more relevant.

At Bright Education, we believe classroom displays should work as hard as teachers do — supporting learning, reducing cognitive load and remaining useful across lessons, units and terms.

Thoughtful curation, not constant addition, is what creates classrooms that feel calm, focused and effective.

This reflection was inspired by the article “Classroom displays – lessons from a designer-turned-teacher” by Andressa Bassani, published in Teacher magazine.