Word Walls Can Be Used At Home

 

Word Wall in my son's room

Start of a  Word Wall from my classroom

Word Walls Aren’t Just for School

If you ask your child about a word wall, he or she will more than most likely tell you about the one that is located in his/her classroom. Word Walls are a common part of any elementary classroom. They are used to help students become familiar with words that they may encounter in their reading books or other settings. The word wall acts as a visual bridge between words and their use. Word walls are very effective, and the great news is that they don’t have to be used just in school.

Words walls are not just for the classroom. They can also be used at home. Are you wondering how? Simple. You can start a word wall in your child’s room or any other area of your home. If you don’t want to risk ruining your paint or wall paper, you can opt to turn your refrigerator door into a Word Center. Just place the words on your refrigerator door in the same way that you add pictures and notes. It doesn’t matter where you decide to place your word wall. All that matters is that the words are easily visible, and you and your child can interact with them on a regular basis.

I decided to do a word wall in my home after I saw my son’s reading scores. My child has always been a fluent reader, but I noted that lately-since the arrival of his new wii-he wasn’t reading as well as he used to. So, I decided to take immediate steps to prevent further loses in reading. I decided to create a word wall in my house and begin teaching him new words. I opted to use my son’s bedroom as a place for his word wall. My son is in the 2^nd grade, so I chose the words that were recommended for 3^rd grade. I simply looked on the internet for a list of 3^rd grade words and chose some to start the word wall with. I did this so that his vocabulary would increase as well as his reading level. Now, my son and I look at the words daily and discuss the meanings of the words that I added.

Word walls are a great way to help increase your child’s vocabulary and help him or her become a better reader. You can use the words that your child brings home from school each week or you can find age-appropriate words on the internet.