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Word Wall vs. List
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10 thoughts on “Word Wall vs. List”
A few random comments:
1. How many people even have word walls?
2. I’ve never even had a discussion with anyone about word walls in levels above level 1. It seems to be unimportant, possibly not done.
3. How does Laura’s comments about not putting verbs or nouns into word walls enter into play into this discussion? Laura staunchly defends doing that in her comments yesterday here:
https://benslavic.com/blog/word-walls/
Now someone has to respond, either in rebuttal or support. My feeling is that I want to support her position. Therefore, we need to now consider not putting any verbs or nouns into our word walls. This is true either way, if we put a word wall up at the start of the year or not. I just feel like what Laura says on the verbs and nouns is true. It rings true.
I have a bunch of words on the wall, and I think, Ben, you said Linda Li also has a lot on the wall. In fact, I think all CI Chinese teachers I’ve seen have quite a bit on the walls. For me, it’s because of what Nathan said: The word wall is merely a reference point to fill in for a gap in our memory so that we can better maintain the flow of meaning. I use words up there a lot, and students do, too.
I think it’s might be a different kind of word wall than what was being described.
I have all levels, from beginner to (this year) a small but really lovely group in AP Chinese, and I use these posters a lot in every level. I think it’s unfortunate to have so much on the wall right away with beginners. I did take words off the “Fun Words” (rejoinders) poster & will be added to it as we need a word in class.
I don’t have any nouns. I have one poster of verbs, but Chinese verbs have no changes. The verbs are mainly actions we do in class. I also have a student-created poster of “feelings/states of being” ex: happy; hungry; busy; stressed; surprised. There are a lot of choices & kids chose them a couple years ago, and added drawings. I also have English meaning on it. They can use those words when we talk about how people are doing. It’s how “tired” and “hungry” are used in class.
“I also have a student-created poster of “feelings/states of being” ex: happy; hungry; busy; stressed; surprised. There are a lot of choices & kids chose them a couple years ago, and added drawings. I also have English meaning on it. They can use those words when we talk about how people are doing. It’s how “tired” and “hungry” are used in class.”
This is awesome Diane. Getting the kids involved especially with feeling words can be powerful.
I have all of the Spanish question words, lots of the connecting words (for, to, because, and, or, etc.), common questions (what does ______ mean?, how do you say _______, can I go to the ___?, etc.), numbers, and comparisons on the wall in both Spanish and English and point to them all the time.
I couldn’t imagine teaching level 1 or 2 without being able to point at them w/ the laser pointer whenever needed.
I haven’t posted an emerging word wall, though I’m curious what others will say.
Currently, I am teaching Level 1 and Level 2 French.
There is nothing on the walls. I used the white board only. I didn’t have a projector in the beginning of the year because I moved into the old storage room.
Now I use the projector. When I have some time I will write only the words I have used in class including the emerging ones on a piece of butcher paper.
I am more and more using gestures because it is easier for me to refer to those. I am also using a TON of “what did I just say?”, “what does that question mean?”
New words are emerging and are written down and are pointed to to allow myself to stay SLOW.
Word walls will come later.
I don’t have a word wall either. I share classrooms with Spanish teachers in two different buildings and I am grateful that I have a desk for myself in each room. Wall space is not up for discussion. In a way, this forces me to be more creative with establishing meaning, being hyper-aware not to move on before anything new has been acquired, etc. It is my job to know what the kids have in their heads and how they use it when they cannot rely on words affixed to the wall. All I am saying is that your students’ success does not depend upon a word wall. Don’t stress if you can’t make it happen the way you want it.
I agree Brigitte. Word walls are not necessary and the way you say it here is perfect:
…[not having a word wall] forces me to be more creative with establishing meaning, being hyper-aware not to move on before anything new has been acquired, etc. It is my job to know what the kids have in their heads….
We really got into this topic in the recent Portland and LA workshops. At one point I thought it would be a good way to put up the “curriculum” (thematic units), to put those words there. But I see that idea as lame now since I truly see that any little acknowledgement of the old way of teaching, the way the textbook is organized, any of that stuff, as not worth doing, not worth our time.
(We have long felt as if we have had to continually capitulate to the antiquated ideas of people down the hallway who still think that the world is flat but now I feel that we don’t need to do that anymore. Some kind of corner has been turned. They are glaringly wrong now, more than ever, it’s all coming out, as each day it is becoming obvious to everyone that they don’t align with the research so we need not use a word wall for that.)
Word walls can help with free writes. They are great in the Word Chunk Team Game and when I do word associations. They are good even for something as simple as Simon Says. They have other uses.
But I really hear you. You are right. Though useful for some of the activities, I don’t know why we got so excited about them. The real work is exactly as you have described it above, especially in the sentence below which should be highlighted much more than it has in the past, and something that Blaine has always made clear by his modeling of it over the years:
…it is my job to know what the kids have in their heads….
I started on Wed. with no posters at all. Not even ? words, because I just didn’t get around to it. I had to clear out my room last year and was reinstated late July. Moving back in, I’m determined to keep it minimal and spacious, including the walls. I’m kind of playing this by feel.
Day one: no posters. I wrote up words on the white board and kept the ones that emerged from what we talked about.
Day two: I culled the words on the white board to super 7 and high-energy words that emerged from OWI.
Day 3: Finally posted the question words and a few rejoinders above the white board. Posted other rejoinders on a side wall (these are well-used that many kids from last year know and use so figured it’s worth having those up to remind them of laughing and such from last year). Right side of white board for “keeper” words; left side used for “emerging in the discussion” but those get erased after each block bc I need that space for projecting.
I think I am not going to have a wall at this point. “Feeling” words last year I had kids take photos of themselves acting out the feelings. That was very fun and popular so will prob do that again either having them take photos or maybe this year will have them draw it. *New* is a poster of our AP who is expressionless and someone made a hilarious “feeling” poster of Mr. Z with the same expression on his face for each feeling. I want to have that somewhere in the room for fun and community building and also we can compare “who is sadder, student x or Mr. Z.” I think that will be very fun and also a light hearted way to show that not everyone needs to “wear their heart on their sleeve.”
Hi
I am trying to put each word ( it showed up during class) up on a butcher paper in the back of the room. But I am already getting into trouble. Each group uses a couple of different words and the next group doesn ‘t know the meaning. I feel it is going to be overwhelming the number of the words as I have 6 different groups in the same room.
Any suggestion? They are level 1 and 2 Spanish. Thank you
Nothing is proven and we are all flying by the seat of our pants Esther so the only thing I can think of is to be judicious. Only add certain words. Limit things. Or possibly even better yet don’t make a word wall. I’m thinking more and more that way. Or have one like I used to have (TPRS Resources – posters page on this site) if you only want them for WCTG and stuff. The whole thing with the word walls is in flux. I would like to hear what others say about them. My favorite line so far on this discussion was said to me in a skype call with Beniko a few weeks ago – “What is a word wall?”
I like what Mike Peto said on FB today about having things on walls:
…I find the sweet 16 [verb] posters liberating. They enable young minds to imagine possibilities in the target language. I am not simply talking about glancing up and finding a word for a quick write; this is not a word wall. As these most essential verbs are deeply acquired then their thoughts, their ideas, their quirky, unique imaginations flow in the target language. These Sweet 16 posters are useful whether you teach within the context of a strict pre-programmed curriculum and seek a little freedom, or you teach in a highly idiosyncratic, personalized context and need an anchor to provide a little structure. I am not claiming to have created the set of posters that saved Western Civilization. This is banking on a balanced approach that I suspect has always been a part of the practice of the truly great TPRS teachers….
Here is Mike’s entire post from today:
https://mrpeto.wordpress.com/2016/09/03/sweet-16-poster-give-away/