Word Walls are a key aspect of any elementary school classroom. But what are they and how do they positively influence the literacy development in our students? There are numerous benefits that we can obtain from word walls within our classroom. One way students might gain is by grasping sight words. This is probably the most common way that I have seen word walls used, especially in younger grade levels. Another tool is by creating an area of vocabulary that students can use to refer back to when they might need to do so. Overall, word walls are extremely important to a literacy based classroom.
Above you can see three examples of common word walls within a classroom. Generally speaking, word walls have an area in the classroom dedicated to them specifically. An average word wall begins with a list of the letters in the alphabet, with enough room in between them to grow. Below each letter you would then add words overtime and place it underneath or connected to the letter that correlates to what the word begins with.
While most word walls look the same, there are also creative new takes on word walls such as the two I have attached above. Even though they are set up in a different way, You will notice that they still consist of the same aspects as the first set shown. In the first image, the teacher has taken your average word wall, cut it out, and hung the list from the ceiling. The second image that I found is not technically a word wall, but I believe that it can be turned into a really fun one. It would be easy to write the letters in the boxes then fill the pouch with the correlating words. There are so many things that you can do with word walls and it is a tool that your classroom would greatly benefit by incorporating!
Thank you for reading!
-Ashten
Word walls are indeed a cornerstone of elementary school classrooms, serving as dynamic visual aids to enhance literacy development. Essentially, a word wall is a dedicated space in the classroom where teachers display high-frequency words, content-specific vocabulary, or words related to a particular theme or unit of study. The two creative word walls you have given as an example are perfect! Both of these creative takes on word walls maintain the core objectives of traditional word walls, such as promoting sight word recognition, expanding vocabulary, and fostering a print-rich environment. However, they also offer innovative ways to engage students and enhance their overall learning experience.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anna. Word walls are quintessential for the elementary classroom. It is a great place for kids to look when doing their own writing and need to know how to spell familiar words. You've chosen some great ones here. Make it your own, if you have a themed classroom, use that theme for your word wall.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the interactive word walls and the one hanging from the ceiling! I think when they are used with a purpose, they are a great resource for our students. For myself, I do not like clutter and word walls can do this if they are not arranged or organized with a purpose. In elementary, a lot will be used year round for our younger students but I think ensuring that we are building onto their knowledge with the word walls is important. If they have mastered a word list, put up the newest list, or if they are moving on to a different type of writing style change the words that you have posted to help support that type of writing.
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