WORD WALLS
Word walls can come in many forms and every teacher may have their own preference. It is a great way to display vocabulary in the classroom to reenforce and remind students of word knowledge. The words that are selected are typically from vocabulary that is taught during a particular unit, they can be placed alphabetically, or words can be classified into categories. (Kesler, 2013) According to an article written by Sarah Ratelis, " students need to hear and use a word at least 6 times to incorporate it into their personal language so I have been collecting strategies for incorporating vocabulary instruction into science lessons." Word wall are a reminder to students which words are important to memorize. Some teachers also have the students put the words into their science notebooks and personalize the notebook list with additional terms. (Bigelow, 2013) Here are some examples of words that would be on a word wall for a science classroom. The photos are a great way to give the students a visual reminder of the definition.
"Word walls:
See full article for further detail.
- provide an approach to meaningful teaching of vocabulary with an emphasis on student engagement and higher level thinking skills;
- build vocabulary, thereby improving reading comprehension and writing style;
- reinforce understanding of subject-specific terminology with a focus on students internalizing key concepts;
- help students improve spelling and awareness of spelling patterns;
- provide visual cues for students;
- encourage increased student independence when reading
and writing. " (Cronsberry, n.d.)
See full article for further detail.
There are also actives that can enhance learning to accompany the word walls. Here are five examples: ACTIVITIES (Word Wall Activities Build Skills, n.d.)
References
Bigelow, M. (n.d.). Putting Science Words on the Wall. Retrieved July 7, 2015, from http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2013/10/16/putting-science-words-on-
the-wall/
Building Academic Vocabulary- Interactive Word Walls and Strategies- Grade 7. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2015, from https://youtu.be/jscfDFKMg40
Cronsberry, J. (n.d.). Word Walls a Support of Literacy in a Secondary School Classroom. Retrieved July 7, 2015, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/World_Walls_-_A_Support_for_Literacy_in_Secondary_School_Classrooms.pdf
Kesler, C. (2013, November 29). The Evolution of my Middle School Science Word Wall. Retrieved July 7, 2015, from http://www.keslerscience.com/the-
evolution-of-my-middle-school-science-word-wall/
Ratelis, S. (n.d.). Teaching Science Vocabulary with Word Walls. Retrieved July 7, 2015, from
http://community.prometheanplanet.com/en/blog/b/blog/archive/2011/10/12/teaching-science-vocabulary-with-word-walls.aspx#.VaH1D3g-C5x
Word Wall Activities Build Skills. (n.d.). Retrieved July 7, 2015, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson328.shtml