Word Walls

1. Word Walls

2. Word Walls have high frequency words. Word Banks have content area words, difficult or challenging words, thematic words, etc.

3. Now that we have them… How do we “do” them????

4. Tips to Remember • Be selective a. Limit the words to those really common words that children need a lot in writing (Dolch or Fry Word List, 3rd grade - commonly misspelled words).

5. Add words gradually. a. Five per week b. 100-120 words by the end of the year 3. Make the words accessible. a. Put them where everyone can see them.

6. b. Write in big, black letters on different colored construction paper. c. Put commonly confused words on different colored paper.

7. d. Put the words in alphabetical order. e. Cut around the configuration of the word.

8. 4. Practice the words by chanting and writing them because struggling readers are not usually good visual learners and cannot just look at and remember words.

9. Many teachers tie this daily writing of five words into handwriting instruction. • After writing the words they trace around each word to make sure the letters are made correctly.

10. 5. Do a variety of review activities to provide enough practice so that the words are read and spelled instantly and automatically.

11. Most teachers allot 10 minutes a day for word wall activities. • Early in the year it takes the whole ten minutes to call out, chant, write and check the five words.

12. “On the back” activities can be done as students become quicker at writing the words.

13. 6. Make sure that word wall words are spelled correctly in any writing students do.

14. The word wall serves as a foundation for spelling instruction and practice.

15. Proficient readers recognize the vast majority of words in texts quickly, allowing them to focus on the meaning of the text. Since approximately 300 words account for 65% of the words in text, rapid recognition of these words during the primary grades forms the foundation of fluent reading.