Word Walls

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Word Walls

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

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The man with a scant vocabulary will almost
certainly be a weaker thinker. The richer and
more copious ones vocabulary and the greater
ones awareness of fine distinctions and subtle
nuances of meaning, the more fertile and precise
is likely to be ones thinking.. Knowledge of
things and knowledge of the words for them grow
together. I you do not know the words, you can
hardly know the thing. Henry Hazlitt,
Thinking As a Science
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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
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Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the
Learning in our K-12 Classrooms

• In todays 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

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Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the
Learning in our K-12 Classrooms
A word wall is an ongoing, organized
systematically displayed compilation of key words
that provide visual reference for students.
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Word WallsUsing Word Walls to Support the
Learning in our K-12 Classrooms

• Criteria
• 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

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

• Types of Word Walls
• High Frequency Word Walls
• K-5 classrooms
• Focused on high-frequency words found in
  elementary reading and writing
• Content Specific Word Walls
• K-12
• Academic Words
• Thematic or Unit Specific Words

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High FrequencyWord Walls

• Using High Frequency Word Walls to Support the
  Development of Vocabulary in Grades K-5

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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
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Doing a Word Wall Means

• 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
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Doing a Word Wall Means

• 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.

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Doing a Word Wall Means

• Practicing the words by chanting and writing them
• Struggling readers are usually not good visual
  learners and cant just look at and remember
  words.
• Incorporate rhythm through clapping, stomping,
  etc.

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Doing a Word Wall Means

• Doing a variety of review activities
• Provide enough practice so that the words are
  read and spelled instantly and automatically

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Doing a Word Wall Means

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

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Procedures for Word Walls
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Procedures for Word Walls
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Procedures for Word Walls

• On the day new words are added, the new words are
  called out, clapped, chanted, and written.
• The weeks new words are often reviewed on the
  second day.

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Procedures for Word Walls

• 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.

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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On-the-Back Word Wall Activities

• Purpose is to extend childrens 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

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Kindergarten Word Walls
A B C Ava Ben
Carson Allison
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Kindergarten Word Walls

• Student Names
• Color Words
• High-Frequency Words

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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

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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

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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

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

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Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls

• Hold students accountable for the words on the
  Word Wall once theyve been taught.
• Ask students to remain accountable, even after
  they leave the classroom.
• Teach students specifics and interesting tidbits
  about words that will help them to retain the
  words.

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Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls

• Continue to review the words that are placed on
  the Word Wall through On-the-Back-type
  activities.
• Dont crowd the Word Wall with words other than
  the high-frequency and commonly misspelled words.

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Content-Specific Word Walls
(Also known as Theme Boards)

• Using Content-Specific Word Walls to Support the
  Development of Content Vocabulary in Grades K-12

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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.

Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl
M. Sigmon
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Theme Boards

• Temporary displays to support current learning
  in content areas
• Smaller than Word Walls
• Contain vocabulary words, pictorial
  representations, and definitions, when appropriate

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Theme Boards
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Theme Boards
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Theme Boards
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Theme Boards
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Monitoring Words

• Monitoring the Use of Word Walls and
  Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme Boards) in
  K-12 Classrooms

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Monitoring

• Evidence in lesson plans
• Observed student interaction
• Consistent, neat appearance
• Evidence in student reading, writing, speaking,
  and work products

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Supporting Words

• Supporting the Use of Word Walls and
  Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme Boards) in
  K-12 Classrooms