Word Wall
Definition and Purpose
Word walls are alphabetically arranged according to their first letter. The words are displayed in a manner to allow easy visual access to all the students in the classroom. Children learn to refer to the word wall to spell unfamiliar words when they are writing, and as they become more proficient writers, teachers expect their students to use the word wall to spell high-frequency words correctly. Teachers can make word walls using sheets of colored paper and posting them on the wall. The word wall will remain on display all year and additional words will be added throughout the school year. The teacher will often add the names of all the students in the classroom to the word wall. The teacher will often create the word wall with the whole class.
Teachers use two types of word walls in their classrooms. One type features important words from books that children are reading or from thematic units. The second type of word wall displays high frequency words. They can involve children in a variety of activities including making words, word ladders and word sorts. Word walls can also be used to help students’ complete word-study activities.
Steps
1.Teachers will select a blank wall in which to use for their word wall. They will use construction paper to label boxes containing each letter of the alphabet.
2. The teacher will then introduce the students to the word wall and write several key words on it.
3. The next step will be to add words to the word wall. Children will suggest important words for the word wall as they discover them in books or in an activity. The children and the teacher will add the words to the word wall in large letters to ensure the words can be seen.
4. Teachers and students will use the word wall for a variety of word-study activities, and children refer to the word wall when they are writing.
Application and Examples
Below are examples of high frequency word walls that could be found within a primary classroom.
Word walls are alphabetically arranged according to their first letter. The words are displayed in a manner to allow easy visual access to all the students in the classroom. Children learn to refer to the word wall to spell unfamiliar words when they are writing, and as they become more proficient writers, teachers expect their students to use the word wall to spell high-frequency words correctly. Teachers can make word walls using sheets of colored paper and posting them on the wall. The word wall will remain on display all year and additional words will be added throughout the school year. The teacher will often add the names of all the students in the classroom to the word wall. The teacher will often create the word wall with the whole class.
Teachers use two types of word walls in their classrooms. One type features important words from books that children are reading or from thematic units. The second type of word wall displays high frequency words. They can involve children in a variety of activities including making words, word ladders and word sorts. Word walls can also be used to help students’ complete word-study activities.
Steps
1.Teachers will select a blank wall in which to use for their word wall. They will use construction paper to label boxes containing each letter of the alphabet.
2. The teacher will then introduce the students to the word wall and write several key words on it.
3. The next step will be to add words to the word wall. Children will suggest important words for the word wall as they discover them in books or in an activity. The children and the teacher will add the words to the word wall in large letters to ensure the words can be seen.
4. Teachers and students will use the word wall for a variety of word-study activities, and children refer to the word wall when they are writing.
Application and Examples
Below are examples of high frequency word walls that could be found within a primary classroom.