The Perfect Storm – After using a catalyst and issuing a challenge or question, comes Brainstorming. This is giving the control of the learning over to the learners to offer ideas, words, thoughts, memories, stories, or actions to be heard, respected, commented upon, and written down.
The Biggest of the 3 R’s – Because proficiency in literacy is the basis for success in education throughout a child’s life, I strongly suggest exposing young children to as many words as possible. Books, posters, charts, menus, newspapers, and most especially, the words of the children in the class, should be posted in every area of the early education facility. Word Walls created by teacher and students at Circle Time each day are a great builder of literacy skills.
Word Walls are displays of words the children say about a unit, theme, or experience. They are posted in the room for the children to refer to and their use greatly increases the building of vocabulary, comprehension, literacy, printing, and language skills as well as offering a great boost to self-esteem. It is also important for preschool classrooms to have pictures and labels on furniture, equipment, and toy bins for the same purposes.
Word Walls can be made on large chart paper, construction paper, or art paper, or can be words printed on wipe-off boards and mounted on an easel or on the wall. The main purpose is for the children to see THEIR words in print, to make and reinforce the print-to-language connection, and to feel proud ownership of their words, ideas, and opinions posted for view.
Teachers can make use of smaller word wall devices such as posting spontaneous quotes, accomplishments, milestones, play-related events, art work, and stories in the room. Post-it notes make good tiny word walls. Even Babies and Toddlers should have their words and works posted. Photographs of children’s work also make excellent word wall devices.
WORDS, WORDS, WORDS – Sometimes the over use of Word Walls (and Word Wall devices) gets messy. Post them for enough time for the children to get some use from them, but be aware of when the children are no longer interested in them. There’s no need to make a new one every day. Simply add new words to the current one and post it for a time determined by interest and use.
Post photographs of your children’s work and words. If a group of kids make a huge intricate castle in the Construction Center with hand written pennants and banners waving from its towers, snap a picture, print it out, and post it for all to see. Encourage the children to dictate or print a note saying, “Please Do Not Knock Down” or “Made by Mrs. B’s Bees!”
Language and Literacy skills flourish in a room full of THE CHILDREN’s words.
Administrators – here’s another area where your support for teachers is necessary. Encourage your teachers to decorate their rooms for the children, not for the parents and licensing inspectors –as long as Word Walls are or unsafely displayed.
One of the greatest teachers I know is my friend, Sharon Poteat. “POTEAT”, as her Twos and Threes always called her, papered the walls of her room every year with the words of her children. (She also dyed her hair pink and purple to ‘teach’ colors, wore her nightie to school on Pajama Day, and defied the fire codes with her Word Wall-covered classroom). Her children loved her and when they “read” their own words to their mamas on Parent Day, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room! Word Walls Work!
Next Blog: Circle Time 5 – Ready, Set, GO!
Teach 'Em the Way They Learn 