User:Colleenrushnak/Word Wall

Lead
A word wall is a literacy tool composed of an organized collection of vocabulary words which are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board, or other display surface in a classroom. The word wall is designed to be an interactive tool for students or others to use, and contains an array of words that can be used during writing and/or reading. Word walls have been shown to be effective in teaching English Language Learners and students with disabilities.

History of Word Walls
'Word walls increased in popularity due to Dr. Patricia Cunningham's publication Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing''. The book, used by preservice and practicing teachers alike, provides a myriad of hands on activities to teach phonics in the classroom. The frequent exposure can enhance students' memory. '''

Methods of Usage
Word walls can be used in classrooms ranging from pre-school through high school. '''Word walls are considered to be interactive and collaborative tools, as they are a student-created learning artifact (education) d ue to their flexible nature and ability to "grow" alongside the students. Many variations of the word wall are currently in existence, including those featuring illustrations of the words and color-coded lists. Teachers can ask students synonyms for a particular word or how to use it in a sentence. '''

Typically associated with reading and writing instruction, word walls are known for their ability to foster phonemic awareness, display connections throughout word families (ex. "ack" - back, crack, slack, etc), serve as a support/reference for students, and create meaningful experiences with new vocabulary words. Vocabulary words are often either in alphabetical order or grouped to support a certain area of study.

'''Word walls are becoming commonplace in classrooms for all subject areas. High schools teachers use word walls in their respective content areas to teach spelling, vocabulary words, and mathematics symbols. Words are selected through the process of recognition of prior learning. Teachers assess the students' vocabulary knowledge in order to determine which words should be reviewed and which should be taught as new words. Often, words are paired alongside pictures to enhance understanding. '''

It is notable that word walls are not to be used alone to teach vocabulary. '''Word walls in the classroom serve the purpose of supporting vocabulary instruction by being utilized alongside of it. Students also need to be encouraged to interact with the board in intentional ways for their word knowledge to increase.'''

English Language Learners
'''Research has suggested that word walls are a positive influence in students that are learning English as a new language. English-language learner s in particular are shown to benefit from word walls because of the visual element. For example, students learning English may refer to the word wall to use academic language in classroom conversations. The words are pre-selected and therefore appropriate for the student to use.'''

Students with Disabilities
'''In a 2007 study, word walls in classrooms were found to improve students' with disabilities spelling skills. Moreover, students used the words on the word walls in their writing pieces, which overall improved their writing. There was also a jump in students' motivational skills towards writing.'''