ELA Teacher Shares Best Practices for Utilizing Word Walls in Middle School

ELA teachers are constantly referring to various literary terms students need to know. Here's how one teacher uses a word wall to reinforce focus words.

CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES, August 22, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Most language arts teachers grew up memorizing vocabulary words to prepare for reading and writing tests, but the evolution of standardized testing requires today’s students to recall more than just the definitions of a literary terms. For Erin Beers, a 7th grade ELA teacher and resource creator, the need to bridge the gap between memorization and utilization of words led her to design a classroom word wall display.

It turns out that Mrs. Beers was not the one looking for a better way to teach vocabulary. Her ELA Word Wall for Middle School¹ has sold thousands of copies since premiering on her Teachers Pay Teachers store. What makes this simple instructional tool such a success? Erin believes the visual learning properties make the biggest impact.

"Because there are so many different terms my students are expected to know and utilize in writing prompts or text-based questions, the visual representation is really helpful for my learners," Mrs. Beers explains. "The word wall is a great way to reinforce the concepts we discuss in a lesson."

While displaying key phrases around the classroom is effective, there are multiple ways to further engage students with a learning tool like this. Erin shares several activities and best practices for using word walls in a recent blog post at https://mrsbeers.com/classroom-management-activities-for-middle-school/²

Teachers can choose to incorporate a variety of activities to strengthen recollection of important terms, definitions, and spelling. From state testing preparation to classroom games like Pictionary, the creative use cases for a vocabulary resource like this are nearly endless. Teachers can even expand customize their wall to meet the needs of other age groups and subjects.

If you want to save time building your own word wall, check out Mrs. Beers’ TPT Store³ for a pre-formatted resource which includes blank cards to add your own terms.

About Mrs. Beers ELA Classroom:
Erin Beers is a 7th grade teacher who writes to inspire language arts teachers with tips and resources for their middle school classroom. Learn more at MrsBeers.com

Erin Beers
Mrs Beers ELA, LLC
+1 5136083516
mrsbeers@mrsbeers.com
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¹ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-ELA-Word-Wall-for-Middle-School-3920022
² https://mrsbeers.com/classroom-management-activities-for-middle-school/
³ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Erin-Beers-From-Mrs-Beers-Language-Arts-Classroom