Printable Word Wall Worksheets

Printable Science Word Walls

All of these are related to science.

Social Studies Word Walls

All of the Word Walls below are related to History and Social Studies.

What Are Word Walls?

Word walls are an effective teaching strategy used by teachers in their classrooms to improve their students’ literacy skills. If you are a teacher looking for engaging activities that foster student participation in class and build their confidence, word walls are a great way to do that!

Word walls promote student involvement in class; they improve visual reinforcement as students are encouraged to point out keywords during lectures. This helps them learn and retain unfamiliar words.

Read on to build a deeper understanding of what word walls are and how they are built!
Word walls are a tool used as an effective method for teaching frequently used or sight words to students.

A word wall consists of a group of words written or printed in a larger font for better visibility and memorization. The words on a word wall can be displayed on several mediums like walls, bulletin or notice boards, chalkboards, whiteboards, etc. These are words frequently used in the class and can be referred to on the word wall.

Teachers can conduct word wall-building activities in the class to help engage students creatively. For example, you can have a word wall on math with all the important terms students need to know. Once you see your students using the words on symbols on the words effectively in their reading and writing, you'll know your word wall was a success!
Patricia Cunningham first introduced word walls as a teaching strategy in “Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing."

It is up to the teacher to decide the frequency of adding words to the word wall. It can be done as a weekly exercise or even monthly. However, the teacher may find it appropriate.

Here is how you can effectively build a word wall for your students!

Want to Build a Word Wall? Here Is How to Do It!

Building a word wall can be fun and engaging! However, there is much more to word walls than simply pinning words aboard. For word walls to be effective, students need to be able to use them daily.

Here are some simple steps you can follow to build an effective word wall:

1. Start by finding the right place for your word wall. It should be visible and accessible to all of your students. There is no point in placing the word wall in a corner where no one will see it. So, choose the place carefully!

2. Choose the right background for your word wall, one that makes the words on the wall stand out. Having a dark-colored background would help!

3. You should keep the materials used to replace or add words (such as tapes, markers, pens, cards, etc.) to the word wall should be kept nearby so you can easily add words during a lesson. You can also encourage students to add words to the wall during a lecture; this will give them a slight sense of accomplishment.

4. Ensure that the words on the wall are large enough to be read from a distance.
5. You can also arrange the words on the wall in alphabetical order to improve the student's alphabet knowledge.

6. Color code the letter so that it is easy to refer to during lectures. For example, if you have to point out a letter to your students, you can tell them it is the yellow card under the letter N.

7. You can have sections dedicated to different subjects on the word wall. For example, in the science section of the word wall, you can add terminologies for major concepts like metaphase, telophase, etc. Your word wall could be dedicated to literary terms, transition words, synonyms, etc.

8. Refer to the word walls as much as you can during lessons so that students can understand its relevance.

9. It is best to add five words a week for efficient learning!

We have explained how to build a word wall for your students effectively. Here is a list of reasons for word walls being effective for teaching.

Benefits of Using Word Walls as a Tool for Teaching

- Word walls increase student engagement and foster their thinking skills by identifying key vocabulary words in class and adding or referring them to the word walls.

- They add to the student's vocabulary, which improves their comprehension and writing skills, the two most important skills required in education and later in professional careers.

- They introduce students to key terminologies and words that they will frequently encounter in that course. This helps students internalize key concepts and reinforces their understanding of those terms.

- They also improve students' spelling skills. The chances are that difficult words will already be up on the word wall. Students can refer to them to check their spellings and correct them if they have made a mistake.

- They also increase student independence in terms of comprehension and writing. They can refer to these visual aids to remember key concepts and definitions, which will help them perform the task independently without asking the teacher or their friends for help. A task completed from the beginning to the end will also give them a small sense of accomplishment.

- They also provide visual cues for students, making them more independent in performing tasks assigned during class.

- They encourage creativity in learning. Students can decide the color coding for different letters and add pictures where necessary. Decorating, updating, and maintaining the word wall requires students to be participative and creative during class.

To Wrap Up

Word walls are an effective teaching method to familiarize students with commonly used words and concepts in a particular subject. The process of building word walls is inclusive and encourages student participation.

As a teacher, making word walls with your students can be a fun and engaging activity during class! So, get busy, decide on the right location for a word wall, and involve your student.
Happy teaching!