January 10, 2010

Today the children brought home a Word Wall list. This is a list of words they are expected to spell correctly in class.

That's because the words are posted on the wall where the children can see them at all times.

Note that the children are NOT expected to memorize these words. Some will, and that's fine. But the real goal is to give them a growing list of words for which they are responsible.

The list grows by 5 words each week. Look for a new list each Monday. New words are always circled. Watch, too, for the practice sheets the children bring home each day. The children are given clues and write all five words daily in response to the clues.

During the daily practice, the children learn a great deal about language by using the clues. They also focus on printing.

Families use the Word Wall Words in a variety of ways. Some have their child simply read the words each day. Some give clues themselves and have their child choose which word fits each clue. Some post the list on the fridge or on a bulletin board. When the child is writing, the parents can remind the child to check the list.

By using the correct spelling for this list, children often learn the words by memory by the end of the year.