Word Walls and PWIM
Enhancing Your Language Arts Program
Welcome!! Listen Learn Share
Agenda Word Walls
Overview Benefits Tips for use Daily activities and strategies Portable Word Walls
PWIM How it works Advantages
Steps Getting started Examples
What are Word Walls? an organized collection of words
prominently displayed in a classroom an interactive tool for teaching
reading and spelling to children come in many different types,
including high frequency words, word families, names, alphabet, themes (seasonal, content area)
Benefits Word Walls teach children to:
recognize and spell high frequency words
see patterns and relationship in words
build phonemic awareness skills apply phonics rules recognize content area words
Benefits Word walls can be used:
to support the teaching of important general principals about words and how they work.
to foster reading and writing. to take away the “permission to
forget build vocabulary
Benefits Word walls can be used: to promote independence on the part
of young students as they work with words in writing and reading
as a visual tool for older students, giving them access to content area words
Benefits Word walls can be used: to provide a visual map to help
children remember connections between words and the characteristics that will help them form categories.
Benefits Word walls can be used: to develop a growing core of words
that become part of a reading and writing vocabulary.
to provide reference for children during their reading and writing.
Make words accessible by putting them where every student can see them
They should be written in large black letters using a variety of background colours to distinguish easily confused words
For young students, having the shape of the word provides another visual connection
Tips for Use
Teachers should be selective about the words that go on the word wall. Try to include words that children use most commonly in their writing
Words should be added gradually - a guideline is five words per week
Tips for Use
Use the word wall daily to practice words - chanting, snapping, cheering, clapping, tracing, word guessing games, as well as writing them
Provide enough practice so that words are read and spelled automatically and make sure that word walls are always spelled correctly in the children's daily writing
Tips for Use
Cross-curricular
Interactive
Colorful
Subject Specific/
Thematic
Seasonal
Portable
use clothespins to pin index cards on word wall
students can take card off and look on back for definition.
Creative
Your Turn Do you have any other creative ways
you have used a Word Wall in your classroom?
Daily Activities for Word Walls
Clap, Chant, and Write Students number a scratch paper
from one to five. Call out five word wall words and put
each in a sentence. When all five words have been
written, point to the words, and have the students clap and chant the spelling of the words as they correct their own papers.
Review Rhymes Have students number their paper from one
to five, and write the word that rhymes with the word you give.
Give them both a first letter and a rhyming clue:o Number 1 begins with t and rhymes with walko Number 2 begins with b and rhymes with my
To check their papers, you say the rhyming word and let students say the word they wrote (and chant) its spelling:
o "Number 1 rhymes with walk, what did you write?" Students respond, "talk, t-a-l-k"
Review Endings Call out the usual five daily words, but
add endings on to some of them. Begin with just one ending at first,
probably "s". Then do another ending, such as "ing", or "ed".
Only do words with spelling changes after you have taught the rule.
Students spell (and chant) the words.
Make Sentences As the year goes on and more words
are on the word wall, you can dictate entire sentences that are made up of word wall words.
You also can use this opportunity to practice punctuation.
Be a Mind Reader The teacher thinks of a word wall word
and gives five clues to that word. Students number their papers from 1
to 5 and try to "read the teacher's mind“.
By the time you give the fifth clue, everyone in the class should guess your word and have written it down on their papers.
Be a Mind ReaderProcedure: First clue is always the same one: "It's one of the
words on the wall." Students write a guess by number 1.
Next clue: "It has four letters." Students write another guess by number two.
Third clue: "It begins with "th". Students again write their guesses by number three.
Fourth clue: "Its vowel is an "e". Write guess by number four
Fifth clue: "It finishes the sentence, "I gave my books to _____." Write guess by number five.
Check (and chant) the correct word, and ask for a show of hands as to who had the word by 1, 2, 3, etc.
Ruler Tap The teacher says a word wall word
and then taps out several letters in that word without saying those letters.
When the tapping stops, the teacher calls on a child to finish spelling the word out loud.
If the child correctly finishes spelling the word, that child gets to call out a word and tap some of the letters.
WORDO This is a version of BINGO, only it is
played with word wall words. Students need a sheet of paper that
has 9, 16 or 25 blank blocks on it, and some small pieces of paper or objects to cover words as they fill in blocks.
W O R D 0
WORDO Call on students to pick words from
the word wall they want included in the game.
As each picks a word, everyone writes it in a blank of their choice.
Teacher writes it on an index card. W O R D 0
WORDO Shuffle your index cards and call out
each word. Students are to cover the words
wherever they have written them. The first student to have a complete
row covered/blackout wins. You might let the winner
become the word caller for the next game.
Variation: teacher gives the definition of the words
Reading Bingo Students fill in a bingo card with new
words for a unit. As students complete the unit’s reading, they fill in the page numbers
where the unit’s words appear. Acknowledge the first person who gets
a straight line completed, then assign completion of the entire grid for everyone in the class.
Variation: Students skim text to find words listed on their card.
Word Sorts Students write 10-15 word wall words
on small slips of paper Sort the words into different piles
depending on the features certain words share.
Students may sort for:o # of letterso begin/end with certain lettero have a certain vowel(s)o have a certain letter anywhere in themo semantic features (names, actions)
o teacher gives groups, students tell sorting criteria OR vice-versa
Guess the Covered WordPurpose: practice cross-checking meaning with letter-sound information. The teacher writes 4-5 sentences on
board, sentence strips, overhead, SMART Board.
Cover a word in each sentence with two sticky notes--one covering the onset, the other covering the rime.
Guess the Covered Word Call on a student to read the first
sentence. Students make several guesses for
the covered word. Teacher records. Take off the first sticky note (onset). Guesses that don’t begin with that
onset are erased and any new guesses can be added.
Reveal word when all the guesses which fit both the meaning/onset are written.
Build/Mix/Fix Teacher calls 5 words from the word
wall one at a time. Students write on paper as teacher
writes on board. Teacher directs class to Build the first
word with letter tiles/cards atdesk.
Build/Mix/Fix After all students have the word built,
teacher directs class to Mix up the letters of the word.
Students are directed to Fix the word by arranging the letters to spell the word.
Continue with remaining words.
Word Search Give each student a Word Search
worksheet. Choose 5 words from the word wall. Call out word and students write at
bottom of worksheet. Students place each word in the word
search puzzle and add additional letters to fill in the boxes.
Students trade Word Search puzzles and complete.
Making Words An activity that will have students
interact with letters and words. Assists in developing spelling and
word decoding skills. Engaging - like a puzzle. Procedure:
o Choose letters that are found in word wall words. o Students print the letters at the bottom of the
“Making Words” graphic organizer. o Cut letters out. o Arrange letters to form words. o Print words on chart.
Word Fun Center An activity to have one of your guided
reading groups do while you are busy Choose 5 words from the word wall
and write them on the board Provide different materials to spell the
words:*letter tiles *pasta letters*stencils *Wikki Sticks*play-dough *alphabet stamps*magnetic letters *painted lima beans
Word Ad Divide the class into groups Each group chooses a word, and brainstorms
all the possible uses of the word. They create a radio or television ad to ‘sell’
the word and present it to the class. Variation: students think of a product for
which they create a radio advertisement, using as many words as possible from the word wall. o The group avoids making direct reference
to the product and asks the class to guess what it is that the ad is trying to sell.
Categories Students create categories and group the
words from the word wall to fit those categories.
Set the number of words that are allowed in a “miscellaneous” category and create a maximum and minimum number of categories that can be used.
Could be done individually first; then students share/compare their categories with a partner.
Share their groups of words with the class who guess the principle behind the sorting.
Contextualization Students write about a situation in which a
word wall word would be commonly used. The student reads the situation to the
class, who then guess the relevant word. Variation: students portray multiple
contextual situations – for words with multiple meanings
E.g. “brackets” - something that could be spoken about in both writing and construction contexts.
Your Turn What ways have you used the Word
Wall in your classroom?
Get them interacting
with the Word Wall!
Get them interacting
with the Word Wall!
___.
_______.
Get them interacting
with the Word Wall!
Attach key words with Velcro strips or sticky tack
Put pockets under your Wall at the children's eye level. Place copies of key words in the pockets
These techniques allow students to go to the Wall, remove a word, use it at their desks, and return it
Get them interacting
with the Word Wall!
Have students record the number of times they use the word wall words in their writing o Sticky notes on the
words o Stickers on the words
Text talk Hang Man “Wheel of Fortune” “Hink Pinks” – riddles
with rhyming pairs Jeopardy
Your Turn Wall space in classrooms is always
limited! What creative ways have you handled
this?
No Wall Space – No Problem! use three-panel display boards or
foam display boards These freestanding materials don't
require any wall space, and can be moved around the room and placed on tables for easy visibility
You can fold one Word Wall down and put up another when a new student group arrives OR for different seasons/subjects
Easy storage!
No Wall Space – No Problem! students take the ring
of cards back to their desks
each subject's vocabulary words are in a different color index card to make the words easy to find
can be used year after year
A great alternate to the traditional word wall
Wonderful if you have limited wall space in your classroom
Perfect for students on the move Available commercially
(check Teacher’s Trunk) Make your own
Portable Word Walls
Portable Word Walls
Portable Word Walls This Portable Word Wall is made up of:
Dolch Words (PP-Gr. 1)
Fountas/Pinnell High Frequency Words (K-1)
first 100 Sitton High Frequency Words
Part of the handout package
To make the word wall list stand out, provide an organizational handout that students glue to three-holed construction paper.
The construction paper fits into a binder, but sticks out a
little more than regular paper, thus making the word wall list easily accessible
Portable Word Walls
Portable Word Walls
http://literacygarden.com/personal-word-walls/ different themes available $2-$3 on TpT
Another idea:
• Students “borrow” the word wall “books” and return when done
Portable Word Walls
Assessment Opportunities word wall reading portfolio of work to show progress
through year assessment rubrics spelling anecdotal records observations by teachers
http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/wordwall062599.html
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/wordwall/
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/word-walls-work
http://curriculum.org/storage/108/1278503618wordwalls.pdf
On-line Resources
Pat Cunningham:o Classrooms That Work: They Can All Read and
Write. o Making Wordso Making More Big Words. o Making More Words. Carthage, o Month By Month Phonics for First Grade. o Month By Month Phonics for Second Grade. o Month By Month Phonics for Third Grade. o Month By Month Phonics for Upper Grades. o The Teacher's Guide To The Four Blocks.o Word Wall Plus For Second Grade.
Books
PWIMPicture Word Induction Model
Picture Word Induction Model Developed by Emily F. Calhoun in
1998 uses pictures containing familiar
objects, actions and scenes to draw out words from children’s listening and speaking vocabularies
Picture Word Induction Model helps students add words to their
sight reading vocabulary, as well as their writing vocabulary
also helps students discover phonetic and structural principles present in those words
develops critical thinking and observation skills
Picture Word Inductive Model can be used:
after reading a book when beginning a new science or
SS unit when learning a new concept in
math
How it Works Words are ‘shaken out’ or listed by
the picture by the students. “Shaking out” refers to: o identifying objects o identifying actions o identifying qualities
Words are listed around the picture in a web-like fashion
How it Works Words are placed on word cards. Words are categorized and read and
reread as a class over a few days. Students can be given their own set
of word cards. Individual set of word cards assist the
students in writing and reading sentences using the words.
How it Works Then, depending on the grade level,
the sentences are categorized and formed into paragraphs.
The students then write paragraphs. The strength of using this strategy
from K to grade 6 is that it will help build students’ vocabulary and writing abilities.
Advantages of PWIM emphasizes phonics, grammar,
mechanics, and usage of Standard English.
Pictures provide concrete referents for the learning of new words, phrases, and sentences.
picture word chart serves as an immediate reference to enable students to add these words to their
sight vocabulary.
Advantages of PWIM teacher can choose to emphasize
almost any sound and symbol relationship
Students can see the patterns and relationships of the English language - apply this learning to newly encountered words.
Advantages of PWIM Students hear and see words spelled
correctly and participate in the correct spelling and writing.
Learners benefit from the teacher modeling of the key words and concepts.
With practice, students can begin to learn how to create sentences and paragraphs related to the subject
under study.
Advantages of PWIM Perhaps the biggest advantage of
PWIM is that of the role of the teacher In a deductive classroom, the teacher
conducts lessons by introducing and explaining concepts to students, and then expecting students to complete tasks to practice the concepts; this approach is very teacher-centred.
Advantages of PWIM This PWIM inductive instruction is a
much more student-centred approach. They are the ones that take the stage. The students are encouraged to be
critical thinkers and they are often working collaboratively as a class community.
Advantages of PWIM The strategy can be used with a
whole class, small groups, pairs, or individually
Leads students into inquiring about words and, thus, adding them to their vocabularies
Helps them discover phonetic and structural principles
Engages students in meaningful reading and writing activities.
Steps in the PWIM 1. Select a picture.2. Ask students to identify what they
see in the picture.3. Label the picture parts identified.
(Draw a line from the identified object or area, say the word, write the word; ask students to spell the word aloud and then to pronounce it.)
Steps in the PWIM 4. Read and review the picture word
chart aloud.5. Ask students to read the words
(using the lines on the chart if necessary) and to classify the words into a variety of groups. Identify common concepts (e.g., beginning consonants, rhyming words) to emphasize with the whole class.
Steps in the PWIM 6. Read and review the picture word
chart (say it, spell it, say it).7. Add words, if desired, to the picture
word chart and to the word banks.8. Lead students into creating a title for
the picture word chart. Ask students to think about the information on the chart and what they want to say about it.
Steps in the PWIM 9. Ask students to generate a
sentence, sentences, or a paragraph about the picture word chart. Ask students to classify sentences; model putting the sentences into a good paragraph.
10. Read and review the sentences and paragraphs.
Getting Started The picture word chart is the basic
material for the PWIM lessons and units.
The picture word chart comprises the picture and the words that are identified or “shaken out” of the picture by the students.
Getting Started The chart is used throughout the
sequence of lessons and is a source of curriculum content.
As the teacher writes words on the paper surrounding the picture, the chart becomes an illustrated dictionary.
Getting Started The illustrated dictionary that you
and your students create will support language use by the class as a group and as individuals
It needs to be posted where students can use it to support their reading, their writing, and their independence as learners.
Getting Started Using the chart to help them
pronounce the words encourages children to notice and comment on spelling and phonetic structure.
Until the words are part of the student's sight vocabulary, they are anchored by their representations on the picture word chart.
PWIM in Action
PWIM in Action
PWIM in Action
PWIM in Action
PWIM in Action
PWIM in Action
Your Turn – what words would you “shake out”?
Another Twist
Image of the Week
On-line Resources: http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats
/pwim/
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/199025.aspx (Calhoun’s book)
Pearltrees: http://goo.gl/0jtCca
What to Do Now … Send me a quick email to ask me to
forward the handout package to you [email protected]
If you have any other ideas that we haven’t talked about today, please send those in an email as well so that I can share them!
What to Do Now …Look for the complete presentation and handouts on:
BrainShark the Reading Strategies wikihttp://readingstrategiesthatwork.wikispaces.com/
the ELA wiki http://supporting-ela.wikispaces.com/
Questions Comments
Last Chance to Share!
Thank you so much! Enjoy the rest of your school year!
Merry Christmas!