Using Word Walls to Support the Learning in our K-12 Classrooms 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 Many teachers have a word wall
Many teachers have a word wall.For struggling readers, having a word wall is not sufficient.You have to do the word wall. 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 Word Walls Using 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 Word Walls Using 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. Word Walls Using 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 Word Walls Using 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 UnitSpecific Words High Frequency Word Walls
Using High Frequency Word Walls to Support the Development of Vocabulary in Grades K-5 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. Having a Word Wall might mean putting all the words up somewhere in the room and telling students to use them.In many cases, struggling readers cant use them because they dont know them, and dont know which word is which!Doing a Word Wall means several specific actions are taking place regularly.The first of these is that words are added gradually.In most cases, five new words will be added to the Word Wall each week.Cumberland County will be providing teachers with word lists and sequences for their Word Walls in grades K-3. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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 Doing a Word Wall also means that the words must be very accessible to students.Words should be placed where every student can see them at alltimes.The words should be written in neat, big, black letters.A variety of paper colors should be used so most often-confused words (such as for and from) are on different colors. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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. Doing a Word Wall also means that a teacher should be selective and stingy about what words go on the wall.Word Walls should be limited to really common words which children use in their writing.To assist teachers with this selection process, we will provide teachers with the word list and sequence of words for grades K-3. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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. Doing a Word Wall means that students are practicing their words through activities such as chanting and writing.Rhythmic activities should be incorporated whenever possible because struggling readers are often not good visual learners, and will therefore not remember the words just by looking at them. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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 Doing a Word Wall means that students need to practice their words with a variety of review activities.Teachers should be providing enough practice through calling out, chanting, clapping, writing, and On-the-Back activities that students can read and spell the words with automaticity. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon Doing a Word Wall Means
Making sure that Word Wall words are spelled correctly in any writing students do! Doing a Word Wall means that students should transfer their word knowledge to their own reading and writing.Teachers should hold students accountable for the correct spelling of Word Wall words in any writing that they do. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon Procedures for Word Walls
Each week, five new words are added to the Word Wall.The Word Wall grows as the year progresses.The words are placed on the wall alphabetically by first letter.When confusing words are added, they are put on different colored paper from the words with which they are usually confused. Procedures for Word Walls
Teachers should do at least one daily activity in which the children find, write, and chant the spelling of the words.This should take longer on the day words are added because time must be taken to make sure students associate meanings with words and can differentiate new words from words with which they are often confused. 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. On the first day of the week, five new words should be added to the Word Wall.These words should be called out, clapped, chanted, and written.On the second day, the five new words should be reviewed. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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. On days 3-5, any five words from the Word Wall can be called out.Words with which students need much practice should be called out almost every day. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon 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 At the beginning of the year it will probably take teachers and students ten minutes to call out, chant, write, and check their five words.As the year progresses, however, these procedures can be completed within five minutes.This leaves five minutes to complete On-the-Back activities.The purpose of these activities is to extend childrens knowledge of the Word Wall words and/or help them learn to spell other words.For example, with Be a Mind Reader, the teacher secretly selects a word from the Word Wall and gives the students five clues about that word.Teachers will be provided with directions for how to lead On-the-Back activities. Kindergarten Word Walls
ABC Ava Ben Carson Allison Kindergarten teachers begin their Word Walls with the names of the children.Two names per day should be introduced and added to the Word Wall with the teacher modeling the clapping and rhythmic chanting that will be used later with high-frequency words.Many skills such as beginning letters/sounds and segmenting words into sounds will be introduced through the student names on the Word Wall.Directions for these lessons will be provided to teachers. Kindergarten Word Walls
Student Names Color Words High-Frequency Words Following the introduction of Word Wall procedures with student names, kindergarten teachers begin adding color words to the Word Wall.Following color words, kindergarten teachers will add high-frequency words to their Word Walls.The sequence of the high-frequency words will be provided for them.On the day new words are added, the new words are called out, clapped, and chanted.Teachers should teach the teachable lesson for the new words.They should look for chunks, compare new words to other words, talk about sound patterns in the word, and address words that break the rules. 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 First Grade teachers will also introduce Word Wall procedures with student names. Following student names, first grade teachers will add high-frequency words, five at a time, to their Word Walls.The sequence of the high-frequency words will be provided for them.Just as with kindergarteners, on the day new words are added, the new words are called out, clapped, and chanted.Teachers should teach the teachable lesson for the new words.They should look for chunks, compare new words to other words, talk about sound patterns in the word, and address words that break the rules.New words should be reviewed on the second day.Days 3-5 provide opportunities for the teacher to review any five words from the wall.First grade teachers should focus not only on students reading the Word Wall words, but also writing them.Many teachers include handwriting instruction with their daily Word Wall activities. 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 Second grade Word Wall words are based on words that many second-graders can read, but not spell.Second grade teachers will begin their Word Walls with the words they, said, was, have, and because.They will then add high-frequency words from a given list.These words will represent words with common blends and vowel patterns, contractions, and homophones.Procedures and activities used to support the kindergarten and first grade Word Walls should continue in second grade. 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 Third grade teachers sometimes ask if they need to have a Word Wall.This question can usually be answered by an examination of the first-draft writings of third graders.Third Grade Word Walls are necessary to support children that misspell common, non-pattern-following words such as were, where, could, said, because, and people.They also support children that still confuse common homophones such as their, there, and theyre.The Word Wall lists that will be provided for third graders will contain most frequently misspelled words, most commonly confused homophones, most common contractions, most common compound words, and examples of words with common suffixes and prefixes.Previously established routines and Word Wall activities should still be utilized in third grade. Fourth and Fifth Grade Word Walls
The protocol for Word Walls changes in Grades 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. The protocol for Word Walls in fourth and fifth grade changes slightly.There are six recommendations that should guide the use of Word Walls with these grade levels: Expose students to commonly misspelled words through a Word Wall that is ever present in the classroom. All letters of the alphabet should be displayed and words should be listed under each letter of the alphabet by the beginning letter (just as in grades K-3) Words should be added gradually to the Word Wall, usually with approximately 8-10 words added per month.This is a fewer number than those added in the lower grades, however students in the upper grades hopefully have fewer high-frequency words to learn. If a teacher has more than one class of students, and each class has different word needs, a teacher may want to rely solely on portable Word Walls.These Word Walls can be created on a file folder and can include words that an individual child or a specific group of children need.These folders can go with the children to support their writing while they are away from the classroom where instruction occurs. 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. Hold students accountable for the words on the Word Wall once theyve been taught. Students should be expected to use the Word Wall words correctly in all writing.When teachers see students misspelling the words that have been taught and reviewed, they should simply mark a WW and ask the students to correct the word. Ask students to remain accountable, even after they leave the classroom. As discussed previously, students may need to carry a list of the Word Wall words or a portable Word Wall with them to other classes and home. Teach students specifics and interesting tidbits about the words that will help them to retain the words. Students can be taught about Close Calls words or phrases that sound similar of have other confusing characteristics although they have different meanings. Students shouldbe directed to examine similarities and differences with homographs and homophones. 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. Continue to review the words that are placed on the Word Wall through On-the-Back-type activities. Explicit instruction and daily activities should continue with the Word Wall in grades 4 and 5. Dont crowd the Word Wall with words other than the high-frequency and commonly misspelled words. Upper grade teachers sometimes add content-related or vocabulary words to the Word Wall.The Word Wall should be exclusively used for high-frequency words and/or commonly misspelled words.Additional displays known as Content-Specific Word Walls or Theme Boards should be created elsewhere in the classroom to display words related to the content areas (literacy, math, science, and social studies) that students need to access during their writing. 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 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. Word Wall space is reserved for really important words words that we want all students to learn to read and spell automatically, fluently, correctly, every time, everywhere!In every classroom there are other words students need but the need changes as units, topics, and themes change.In addition to a Word Wall, elementary classrooms need Content-Specific Word Walls or Theme Boards on which to display these words. ~ Patricia M. Cunningham, Dorothy P. Hall, Cheryl M. Sigmon Theme Boards Temporary displays to support current learning in content areas Smaller than Word Walls Contain vocabulary words, pictorial representations, and definitions, when appropriate Theme Boards differ from Word Walls in several ways: First of all, Word Walls and Theme Boards have different purposes.The purpose of a Word Wall is to support students as they learn to read and write high-frequency words.The purpose of a Theme Board is to support students in their vocabulary development throughout units of study in the content areas. Word Wall words are displayed all year long, thus the Word Walls grow larger as the year progresses.Theme Boards are temporary displays, meant to support a specific unit of study.When the unit concludes, the display is replaced by a board that will reinforce the vocabulary of the new unit of study.For example, a teacher might create a Theme Board to support her Rocks and Minerals science unit.The Theme Board would contain vocabulary words pertinent to the study of rocks and minerals with definitions of the terms and pictures to support the vocabulary terms and general study of rocks and minerals.When the teacher completes the unit on Rocks and Minerals, the teacher would take down the Theme Board and replace it with a new Theme Board to support her new science unit. Theme Boards should be smaller than Word Walls.A Theme Board just represents the necessary vocabulary for one specific unit of study.Theme Boards should be created to support math, science, social studies, and literacy, so they need to be small enough to fit on the walls, yet large enough to be accessible to all students while they work. Theme Boards should look very different than Word Walls.Word Walls are organized by the letters of the alphabet.Theme Boards are not arranged alphabetically.A Theme Board should have a title, vocabulary words to support the theme, definitions when appropriate, and pictorial representations to assist with concept development. Theme Boards Theme Boards should be created to support units of instruction in math, science, social studies, and literacy.Theme Boards in literacy have been more specifically designed in Cumberland County, and are referred to as Focus Walls.The next few slides will show examples of Theme Boards found in elementary schools in Cumberland County. Theme Boards Theme Boards Theme Boards Monitoring Words Monitoring the Use of Word Walls and Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme Boards) in K-12 Classrooms Monitoring Evidence in lesson plans Observed student interaction
Consistent, neat appearance Evidence in student reading, writing, speaking, and work products Word Walls should be monitored throughout the school year.Word Walls can be monitored in several ways: Lesson Plans should be reviewed to see evidence of explicit instruction with Word Walls.Lesson plans should detail what words are being practiced each day, what mini-lessons are being taught with Word Wall words, and which On-the-Back activities are being used to reinforce/extend students word knowledge. During literacy instruction, teachers should be observed using the Word Wall as described in their lesson plans.Students should be seen interacting with the Word Walls through student-led reading of Word Wall words, chanting, clapping, and writing. Word Walls should be monitored for their appearance.Displays should be neat, easy to read, and accessible to all students throughout the day.Within a specific grade level (K-3), Word Walls should have the same number of words and the words should be the same (from the given lists) with the exception of student names. The goal of Word Walls is to create students that can read and write the words with accuracy and automaticity.One way to monitor Word Walls, therefore, is to read students writing and check for the inclusion of correctly spelled Word Wall words. SupportingWords Supporting the Use of Word Walls and Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme Boards) in K-12 Classrooms Some teachers have been using Word Walls and Theme Boards much as they have been described in this presentation, and will therefore have few changes to make.For other teachers, however, the creation of proper Word Walls and Content-Specific Word Walls (Theme Boards) will be a new and possibly daunting task.Support documents have been referenced throughout this presentation that will provide teachers (and Instructional Coaches) with explicit directions to help with implementation.Members of the Elementary Curriculum and Instruction team will also visit your school to assist with this initiative.Working together, we can provide allof our children with the print-rich environments they need and deserve!