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Aug 27, 2023 · A word wall is a display of words, prominently placed in the classroom, that acts as a reference for students. These words are often related to specific themes, subjects, or lessons, and they provide a visual cue to help students recall, spell, and understand these terms.
- Janelle Lawrence
- Definition
- The Specs
- Which Words?
- Doing A Word Wall
- Word Wall Pitfalls
- References
According to Patricia Cunningham (2012), who is credited with inventing the word wall, “the word wall is an area in the classroom where words are displayed -– but not just any words -– truly important ones. They are systematically organized and a tool designed to promote group learning.” A word wall consists of words that young children frequently ...
Children need to be able to see the word wall and all of the words on it. I have seen word walls posted on those skinny little bulletin boards above the chalkboards, or whiteboards in the fronts of classrooms. Those bulletin boards are usually six feet above the floor! How well can a three-and-a-half-foot child read words that are posted that high?...
I am a fan of high-frequency, high-utility words for the word wall. It is worth repeating that the word wall was envisioned as a collection of words that young children frequently see when reading and use when writing. So which words, exactly, are those? Some teachers use the Dolch list as a source for words. Keep in mind that the words on the Dolc...
The purpose of the word wall is to provide maximum exposure to those heavy duty basic sight vocabulary words. These are the words that children need to know automatically, without any decoding or problem solving. The more experiences children have with these words, the more likely the words will be internalized. Add three to five high frequency wor...
Word walls have their critics. One of the big criticisms is that it is developmentally inappropriate to expect kindergartners and first graders to use the word wall to support them in spelling out words on paper. The act of finding the word on the wall, recording the first letter on the paper, going back to wall, locating the word again, proceeding...
Cunningham, P.M. (2012). Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and WritingBoston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Dolch, E. W. (1948). Problems in Reading.Champaign IL: Garrard Press. Fry, E. B. (2005). “Phonics: A Large Phoneme-Grapheme Frequency Count.” Journal of Literary Research. Back to top
- Personal Word Wall. Begin by giving students an organizational handout so that they can make their own personal mini word wall. A mini word wall is a wonderful source of reference for students to use when reading and writing.
- Include Definitions. Word walls work best when definitions are included. They become a huge dictionary that students can refer to when reading and writing.
- Refer to the Words. During instruction, use your best Vanna White arm-sweep and refer to the words frequently, so students begin to understand their relevance.
- Add Visuals. Assign kids to find or draw pictures that illustrate the word for homework and then add them to the word wall. This ensures that the kids are thinking about the words outside of class.
A word wall is literacy tool composed of an organized (typically in alphabetical order) collection of words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface in a classroom.
A word wall is a visible display in a classroom that features a collection of words students are studying. Word walls can focus on high-frequency words, word study examples, academic language, and words that are introduced in the content areas.
At its most basic, the function of a word wall is to give students constant access to the important content vocabulary for the class. Pointing out to students that key words are always available to them helps promote independence and reinforces the importance of these words in the classroom.
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Word walls are a visual display of words that are arranged in a prominent location within the classroom, designed to support vocabulary development and literacy skills. These walls serve as a reference point for students, helping them recall the meanings, spellings, and usage of words they encounter in their learning.
