# Seating plan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Seating_plan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Seating_plan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seating_plan > Source revision: 1335990694 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Diagram or instructions determining where people should sit}} thumb|Table seating arrangement A '''seating plan''' is a [diagram](/source/diagram) or a set of written or spoken instructions that determines where people should take their seats. It is widely used on diverse occasions. Seating plans have a wide range of purposes. == Education == In schools, seating plans (sometimes known as seating charts) are used to assign students to specific seats. This may be done to support student behaviour, to help teachers to learn student names or to support learning{{Cite web|title=What is a Seating Plan?|url=https://www.seatingplan.com/seating_plans|website=Seating Plan|access-date=2026-02-01|language=en-GB|first=|last=}}. By seating students according to their academic performance (for example, in Kagan learning structures{{Cite web|title=Kagan Structures: A Miracle of Active Engagement|url=https://www.kaganonline.com/free_articles/dr_spencer_kagan/281/Kagan-Structures-A-Miracle-of-Active-Engagement|website=www.kaganonline.com|access-date=2026-02-01}}), students can support each other better. ==Formal dinners == [[File:Place card-04.jpg|thumb|[Place card](/source/Place_card)]] At [formal dinner](/source/formal_dinner)s, plans are usually used to avoid chaos and confusion upon entrance and to follow the [etiquette](/source/etiquette). In this case, it is customary to arrange the [host](/source/Hospitality) and hostess at the opposite sides of the table, and alternate male and female guests throughout.{{Cite book |last=Oretha D. Swartz |url=https://archive.org/details/serviceetiquette00swar/page/267 |title=Service Etiquette |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1988 |isbn=9780870216206 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/serviceetiquette00swar/page/267 267-278] |url-access=registration}} [Place card](/source/Place_card)s can be used to direct guests. [State dinner](/source/State_dinner)s have their own protocol and arrangements are made so that the most distinguished guests can have the possibility to engage in conversation. In Chinese culture, like many other cultures, the [place at the table](/source/Customs_and_etiquette_in_Chinese_dining) is a sign of social importance.{{Cite web |title=Dining in Hong Kong: Etiquette |url=http://www.internations.org/hong-kong-expats/guide/15908-culture-shopping-recreation/dining-in-hong-kong-etiquette-15914 |website=www.internations.org |access-date=2019-08-21 |archive-date=2015-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404012625/http://www.internations.org/hong-kong-expats/guide/15908-culture-shopping-recreation/dining-in-hong-kong-etiquette-15914 |url-status=dead }} In the United States according to [Peggy Post](/source/Peggy_Post), "tradition dictates that when everyone is seated together, the host and hostess sit at either end of the table. Honored guests (moms, dads, and in-laws) are placed to the host's and hostess's right and then left."{{Cite web |last=Provost |first=Jill |date=October 2, 2007 |title=Your Seating Plan Handbook |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas/thanksgiving-seating-arrangements |website=Good Housekeeping}} This can also be the source of humor.{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2016 |title=The Definitive Thanksgiving Family Dinner Seating Chart |url=https://www.scienceofpeople.com/definitive-thanksgiving-family-dinner-seating-chart/ |website=Science of People}} ==Politics and government== An [election apportionment diagram](/source/election_apportionment_diagram) is a form of seating chart used to visualize electoral results. Often, they are in the form of a [hemicycle](/source/hemicycle).{{cite web|work=Der Bundeswahlleiter |url=https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/service/glossar/r/reihenfolge-wahlvorschlaege-stimmzettel.html |title=Reihenfolge der Wahlvorschläge auf dem Stimmzettel - Der Bundeswahlleiter |access-date=2018-11-04 |language=de}} ==Transportation == [[File:Asiana Boeing 747-400 Seat Plan.svg|thumb|Seating plan for a [Boeing 747-400](/source/Boeing_747-400)]] Plans are also made for [airplanes](/source/airplanes), where the objective is to differentiate [passenger](/source/passenger)s between the various [travel classes](/source/Travel_class) and ensure everybody has a place. ==Entertainment venues== Similarly, [theatre](/source/theatre)s or [cinema](/source/movie_theatre)s may allow spectators to choose their seats beforehand. A seating plan is of crucial importance for [musical ensemble](/source/musical_ensemble)s or [orchestra](/source/orchestra)s, where every type of [instrument](/source/Musical_instrument) is allocated a specific section.{{Cite book |last=Lynn G. Cooper |title=Teaching Band & Orchestra: Methods and Materials |publisher=GIA Publications |year=2004 |isbn=9781579992750 |page=251}} == See also == * [Seating assignment](/source/Seating_assignment) * [Seating capacity](/source/Seating_capacity) * [Table setting](/source/Table_setting) * [Kids' table](/source/Kids'_table) == References == {{reflist}} ==External links == {{commonscat |Seating plans}} *{{commonscat-inline |Election apportionment diagrams}} Category:Etiquette Category:Diagrams Plan --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Seating plan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seating_plan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seating_plan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.