word walls

Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the Learning in our K-12 Classrooms

“The man with a scant vocabulary will almost certainly be a weaker thinker. The richer and more copious one’s vocabulary and the greater one’s awareness of fine distinctions and subtle nuances of meaning, the more fertile and precise is likely to be one’s thinking.. Knowledge of things and knowledge of the words for them grow together. If you do not know the words, you can hardly know the thing.”

Henry Hazlitt, Thinking As a Science

“Many teachers have a word wall. For struggling readers,

having a word wall is not sufficient. You have to do the

word wall.”

~ Patricia M. Cunningham

Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the Learning in our K-12

ClassroomsIn today’s webinar, you will receive the following information• Definition and criteria for a word wall• Types of word walls• Purposes and procedures for word walls• Samples of effective word walls• Strategies for supporting and monitoring word

wall usage

A word wall is an ongoing, organized systematically

displayed compilation of key words that provide visual reference for students.


Classrooms


ClassroomsCriteria

• Build word walls over time with shared student-teacher responsibility

• Display words as uncluttered as possible• Use word wall on a daily basis• Make words legible and visible from all areas of

the classroom• Make word wall interactive and hands-on


ClassroomsTypes of Word Walls

• High Frequency Word Wallso K-5 classroomso Focused on high-frequency words found in elementary reading and

writing

• Content Specific Word Wallso K-12o Academic Wordso Thematic or Unit Specific Words

High FrequencyWord WallsUsing High Frequency Word Walls to

Support the Development of Vocabulary in Grades K-5

Doing a Word Wall Means…

Adding words gradually

• Add five new words (in most cases)

each week

• The word list and sequence of words will be provided for

grades K-3.~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon


Making words very accessible

• Placed where every student can see them

• Written in big, black letters• Variety of paper colors used so most

often-confused words (for, from) are on different colors

~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon


Being selective and “stingy” about what words go on the wall

• Limit words to really common words which children use in their writing

• The word list and sequence of words will be provided for each grade level.



Practicing the words by chanting and writing them

• Struggling readers are usually not good visual learners and can’t just look at and remember words.

• Incorporate rhythm through clapping, stomping, etc.



Doing a variety of review activities

• Provide enough practice so that the words are read and spelled instantly and automatically



Making sure that Word Wall words are spelled correctly in any writing students do!


Procedures for Word Walls…


On the day new words are added, the new words are called out, clapped, chanted, and written.

The week’s new words are often reviewed on the second day.



During the rest of the week, any five words from the wall can be called out. Words with which children need much practice should be called out almost every day.


On-the-Back Word Wall Activities…

• Purpose is to extend children’s knowledge of the Word Wall words or to help them learn to spell other words• On-the-back Endings• On-the-back Rhymes• On-the-back Cross Checking• Be a Mind Reader

Kindergarten Word Walls…

A B C Ava Ben Carson Allison

Kindergarten Word Walls…

• Student Names

• Color Words

• High-Frequency Words

First Grade Word Walls…

• Begin with an introduction of procedures using student names

• Continue with the addition of five high-frequency words each week

• Students are expected to read and write all Word Wall words

Second Grade Word Walls…

• Purpose is to support students’ writing

• First words added to the Word Wall are they, said, was, have, and because

• Remaining words represent common blends and vowel patterns, contractions, and homophones

Third Grade Word Walls…

• A necessary resource to support children that misspell common, non-pattern-following words

• Word Wall words include:• most frequently misspelled words• most commonly confused homophones• most common contractions• most common compound words• examples of words with common suffixes

and prefixes

Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls…The protocol for Word Walls changes in Grades 4-5. Word Walls for these students should be created and used according to these six recommendations:

1. Expose students to commonly misspelled words through a Word Wall that is ever present in the classroom.

Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls…2. Hold students accountable for the words on

the Word Wall once they’ve been taught.

3. Ask students to remain accountable, even after they leave the classroom.

4. Teach students specifics and interesting tidbits about words that will help them to retain the words.

Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls…5. Continue to review the words that are placed

on the Word Wall through “On-the-Back”-type activities.

6. Don’t crowd the Word Wall with words other than the high-frequency and commonly misspelled words.

Content-Specific Word

WallsUsing Content-Specific Word Walls to Support the Development of Content

Vocabulary in Grades K-12

(Also known as “Theme Boards”)

The Need for More Words…

• Wall space is reserved for really important words that are content specific and academic• Example: content specific – integer;

academic - analyze

• In addition to a Word Wall, elementary classrooms need display boards/areas for these other important words.


Theme Boards…

• Temporary displays to support current learning in content areas

• Smaller than Word Walls

• Contain vocabulary words, pictorial representations, and definitions, when appropriate

Theme Boards…

Monitoring Words

Monitoring the Use of Word Walls and Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme

Boards) in K-12 Classrooms

Monitoring

• Evidence in lesson plans

• Observed student interaction

• Consistent, neat appearance

• Evidence in student reading, writing, speaking, and work products

Supporting Words

Supporting the Use of Word Walls and Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme

Boards) in K-12 Classrooms

Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the Learning in our K-12 Classrooms

word walls

Documents

word lists

possibleuse word wall

word wall meansmaking

word wall meansadding

monitoring word wall

content specific word

new words

sequence of words