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What exactly is a Word Wall?
A Word Wall is a collection of related words, which are displayed on a wall or bulletin board for visual reference when reading, writing, or speaking. The ideal Word Wall is a teacher AND student-created artifact - an interactive, work-in-progress exhibit that is added to weekly or even daily. There are many types of Word Walls specific to the ELA classroom, such as Sight Word Walls, Literature Based Word Walls, Seasonal Word Walls, Writing Word Walls, Spelling Word Walls, Parts of Speech Word Walls, Phonics/Phonemic Word Walls, Content Area Word Walls, and Unit/Chapter Word Walls.
10 Reasons to be Wild About Word Walls…
• Word Walls support the teaching of key words and subject-specific terminology.
• Word Walls promote independence in reading and writing by building vocabulary support.
• Word Walls are a visual daily reference, as students retain what they see.
• Word Walls are a high-yield strategy that can be used across the curriculum.
• Word Walls create a classroom that is a print-rich environment.
• Word walls encourage student participation and engagement.
• Word Walls are an interactive reference tool that can be used daily in reading, writing, and speaking.
• Word Walls can easily replace boring, tedious worksheets or packets.
• Word Walls can be used for quick progress monitoring and assessment.
• Word Walls are extremely effective for English Language Learners.
WORDS of Advice for Effective Word Walls
• Print Word Wall Cards on card stock.
• Ideally print in color, but grayscale will work too.
• If you laminate your Word Wall cards, they will last for years.
• Refer to Word Walls in your daily instruction, and encourage students to do so as well when reading, writing, or speaking.
• Word Walls are a work in progress and should be a growing student-created artifact. Have your students add to the working Working Walls in your classroom on a weekly or even daily basis.
For ELA Word Wall Products, visit my store at TeachersPayTeachers:
