How to Create a Light Academia-Inspired English Classroom (With Student Engagement at the Center)
Do you dream of turning your classroom into something a little more magical? Not loud, not overdecorated, just... intentional. Maybe you picture sunlight drifting through open windows, classical piano in the background, a stack of poetry books in the corner, and quotes taped up with washi tape. This isn’t Pinterest-perfect—it’s soft, quiet, and literary. In other words: light academia, classroom-style.
What I love about this aesthetic is that it makes space for wonder. For a slower pace. For writing that feels like wandering into a thought you didn’t know you had. And that’s exactly what I want for my students.
The best part? You don’t need to redo your classroom or spend much money to create this vibe. Most of it comes from how you use your space, not what you buy.
Here are five ways to bring light academia energy into your classroom—without breaking the bank, and with students helping to co-create it every step of the way.
1. Invite Student Art Into the Atmosphere
Light academia leans into the handmade, the delicate, the slightly whimsical. It makes room for the artistic and imperfect—which means it’s a perfect match for student-created decor.
Try this:
Ask students to hand-letter their favorite lines from class readings on scraps of watercolor paper.
Have them draw objects or symbols from the text—pressed flowers, old keys, moons, teacups.
Go for a nature walk and collect flowers to press in your classroom dictionary! A few weeks later, take them out and hang them.
Set up a “gallery wall” that evolves with each unit.
If you nee help getting started on some creative projects that you can use over and over again all year, I have a Creative Projects Freebie which includes five adaptable ideas for any text, from symbolic sculptures to literary dioramas. These low-pressure projects are perfect for weaving light academia into your classroom organically.
2. Curate a Gentle, Literary Display Space
Where dark academia leans toward gothic edges, light academia is all about softness and subtlety. The difference is tone.
Try this:
Create a rotating quote display—use linen-textured paper or recycled book pages.
Post definitions of literary elements in warm tones and handwritten fonts.
Use a corkboard or string-and-clothespins display to feature student ideas.
Try my Light Academia Themed Literary Elements Posters. They create an atmosphere on their own, while also gently reminding students of critical literary elements.
3. Encourage Nature Writing and Slow Observation
There’s something about pausing to notice—really notice—that resonates deeply with light academia. Reflection, natural imagery, and gentle detail take center stage.
Try this:
Take students on a ten-minute sensory walk. Ask them to write what they see and hear without naming anything directly.
Pair reflective writing with nature poems from poets like Mary Oliver, Ross Gay, or Ada Limón.
Start class with a grounding question: What color is today? What does silence feel like?
One of my favorite books to teach is World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. It’s full of nature metaphors, personal reflection, and poetic prose—perfect for slowing down and inviting light into the classroom. I have a full unit for this text coming soon!
4. Let Students Write into New Worlds
Where dark academia might prompt students to explore shadowy themes and classic literature, light academia invites them to daydream. It loves soft world-building, alternate perspectives, and imagining lives that exist beyond the text.
Try this:
Assign fun creative writing prompts. A letter from one character to another. A missing scene. A walk through the woods with a secret. If you need more ideas, I have a Fan Fiction Prompts Freebie that has five great ideas for creative writing based on whatever you’re reading, along with instructions about how to use them in your classroom.
Encourage students to create mood boards or playlists that reflect tone, not just content.
Combine analysis with creation: how do symbols and themes shift in student versions?
Creative writing rooted in literature is a beautiful way to give students voice and agency while reinforcing analytical skills. These moments don’t have to be a full unit—they can be short, dreamy exercises that make a lasting impact.
5. Use Sound and Poetry to Shift the Energy
Think about the sounds that are in your classroom and, if you can, leave some space for revenant silence. I know there are some classes that will just never be truly quiet, but a captivating quiet podcast or a read aloud could give the same feeling of relaxation and awe.
Try this:
Begin class with a short poem—read aloud, copied in a notebook, or just silently noticed.
Use the Poetry Unbound podcast to let someone else bring a quiet poem into the room.
If things feel wild, throw all plans to the wind and read aloud something fun for your students.
Pair soft music with journal time: lo-fi piano, rain sounds, or an instrumental film score.
If you like the idea of podcasts and poetry, I have a Poetry Unbound Mini Unit, which contains five of my favorite episodes, discussion questions to guide your class, and a final project of creating a podcast episode. It’s an approachable way to bring thoughtful, meaningful poetry into your room—even if you’re not doing a full poetry unit.
Final Thoughts
A light academia classroom isn’t just an aesthetic. It’s a way of being. It invites you and your students to move more gently through literature, to write more thoughtfully, to speak more softly. It’s a space where everyone breathes a little easier.
So open a window. Start with a poem. Let the light in.
Looking for more ways to bring softness, creativity, and depth into your teaching?
Grab the Creative Projects Freebie
Explore the Poetry Unbound Mini Unit and keep an eye out for the upcoming World of Wonders Unit