Word Wall
Table of Contents
Bloom's Level
Use
Setting
Activity
Technology
Related Strategies
Description
A word wall is a language and vocabulary development strategy that allows students and teachers to display important words on a designated wall or location in the classroom. As new terms or concepts are introduced, they are added to the word wall, which is typically organized in alphabetical order or by specific categories. Some word walls may include definitions and pictures to support students with learning the words. Students are encouraged to refer to the word wall before and during reading, writing, and speaking activities as needed. Teachers may update the word wall for each new unit of study, replace some words after mastery, or keep the words displayed as an ongoing reference for students. Although the strategy is named word wall, some students create individual “word walls” that they keep with their learning materials (such as in a special folder or notebook). Word walls can serve a variety of needs and use cases. In any case, students should be taught how to use the word wall to support independent learning.
When To Use It
As a learning strategy, use a word wall when you want students to:
- reference target words and vocabulary during reading, writing, and speaking activities
- define terms using their own words
- recognize patterns and relationships among words and concepts
- develop academic and domain-specific vocabulary
- practice using words appropriately
As an instructional strategy, use a word wall when you want to:
- introduce and organize words based on categories, concepts, and skill development
- provide visual cues to help students remember and use vocabulary appropriately
- engage students in a variety of daily activities to practice using target words and vocabulary
- provide both definitions and contextual information to support vocabulary instruction
- assess students’ ability to use target vocabulary effectively in speaking and writing
How To Use It
Advance Prep
- Determine an appropriate location for the word wall that can be seen and accessed by all students. Ensure that there is enough space for the word wall to grow throughout the unit.
- Decide how the words will be displayed and mounted, as students may need to manipulate words to organize them based on patterns or other categories during word wall activities. For example, words can be adhered with Velcro, tape, magnets, or displayed in a pocket chart.Word walls work best when they are organized in categories and alphabetical order so that students can quickly skim to find words. Ensure that words are legible and large enough to be seen from every seat in the room.
- Identify a preliminary list of words. A general guideline is 5-7 new words per week. Focus on a small number of target words at a time. Allow students to contribute to the list of words as well. When deciding on target words and vocabulary, consider:
- High-frequency words
- Content-specific vocabulary
- Multiple-meaning words
- Commonly misspelled or misunderstood words
- Students’ needs and interests related to the topic
Implementation
Teachers can implement word walls in various ways and across all content areas. The following is a general structure for using a word wall:
- Introduce the word wall by letting students know it is a resource for them to use throughout their learning process to support understanding and using target words.
- Work with students to determine an initial list of 5-7 words based on the topic or unit of study.
- If you are working on vocabulary development, have students locate or use context clues to determine the meaning of the words and write a definition using their own words. Illustrations may also be used to support understanding and retention. Model how to use the word wall and develop definitions using context clues from instructional materials and your own words.
- Post the definitions and illustrations along with the word on the word wall.
- Engage students in daily word wall activities for word study and to practice using the words in appropriate contexts. Students should practice using the words in oral communication and in writing.
- Add new words to the word wall as students gain mastery or as new topics are introduced in the unit.
- Word walls can be used throughout the year or updated with each new unit of study.
Students can create personal “word wall” folders or journals to capture key terms across multiple units for reference throughout the school year. Individual “word walls” are especially useful when words are removed from the posted word wall.
Pros
- Promotes student engagement and higher-level thinking skills, especially when students contribute to the list and create definitions using their own words
- Improves spelling
- Facilitates and improves independent reading and writing
- Helps students explain ideas orally using appropriate vocabulary
- Promotes vocabulary development and retention
- Allows students to share ownership by adding words that they want to study
Cons
- It may be challenging to find sufficient wall space that all students can see and access
- Deciding which words are most important to include on the word wall may be challenging when trying to meet the needs of all learners, as too many words may overwhelm students
- Students may become too dependent on the word wall if it is not implemented effectively
Culturally Responsive Application
Word walls lend themselves to culturally responsive teaching because they encourage students to build understanding by defining terms using their own words and images that make sense to them. This is especially applicable when students create personalized “word walls.”
When choosing target words, teachers and students have an opportunity to include relevant vocabulary related to diversity, equity, and inclusion along with academic and domain-specific terms. This signals to students that these words are also important and worth learning about in the context of their academic subjects. Teachers and students may consider words that are identity-centered and culturally affirming, words that may be uncomfortable to discuss, words that represent power dynamics, and other words that matter but are not explicitly in the learning materials.
Emerging English Language Support
Word walls encourages students to actively learn about words and therefore should be referenced and used often during reading and writing.
Students with Disabilities Support
It provides visual connection and graphic organization that improves vocabulary retention.
Subjects
All