Blog Posts

Musical Word Walls

Denise Gagne

A word wall is an interactive tool for teaching words that students need in their reading and writing. A word wall is an organized collection of words displayed in large letters on a classroom wall. Word-wall words can be organized alphabetically, by theme (weather related words, for example), or by spelling pattern. Most teachers add at least five words a week to their word walls on a regular basis; many more words are added spontaneously, as the need arises. Word walls can promote literacy by providing a print-rich environment and creating in students an excitement about words.

K-1 Word Walls

In the K-1 Classroom, the word wall can include words beginning with the letter of the week. When a new letter is introduced, brainstorm for a list of objects that start with the letter. For the letter B, you might have book, box, baby, bee, etc. Write the word on a card with a picture to cue the non-readers. Post the word on your word wall. You can also include the sight words that you want students to know.

Word Walls in Grade 2-6

In the Grade 2-6 classroom, the words on a word wall most often include words students encounter frequently in their reading and writing, as well as words they frequently misspell. For older elementary and middle school students, word walls often include curriculum-related vocabulary words as well---use the word wall to teach vocabulary used in music.

Musical Word Walls

A musical word wall can be set up in the music room, or in the classroom where a classroom teacher teaches her own music. The word wall will help children learn to correctly spell musical terms. When students are writing about music they should be encouraged to refer to the word wall if they have difficulty in spelling a term. A word wall will help students increase their musical vocabulary. When you notice a term in a piece of music that the students are learning, explain it to them and post it on the word wall. When students encounter terms in music that are already on the word wall, they should refer to the wall and review that term. Incorporate the word wall into your daily activities and lessons. Play games to practice the words on the wall. Students who are learning in a classroom with a word wall are at a distinct advantage over other children who do not have that type of resource. Students will be amazed at how many words they have learned over the course of a year.

In a K-1 classroom the musical terms should be simpler than those we include in the Word Wall Kit. The terms that are charted in the Listening Kit Level 1 would be the most appropriate for a K-1 classroom: soft, loud, fast, slow, high, and low. Some additional terms are given in the Listening Kit 1 Cue Cards. These would also be suitable for use in a K-1 classroom musical word wall: short, long. You might also want to include the names of classroom instruments. Pictures with labels of classroom instruments are given in our new publication “Classroom Instrument Bingo”.

Word Wall Kit

In grade 2-6 music classrooms, musical word walls can include all the terms that students encounter in their music, or that you teach as part of their music classes. In the “Word Wall Kit” publication, we’ve included 100 of the most commonly used musical terms. You can purchase the Word Wall Kit here.

Setting Up a Word Wall

There are many creative ways to design a word wall. Some teachers create portable word walls out of folding cardboard or shower curtains. Some teachers even create word walls for each student. The most important element in setting up a word wall is that the words are clearly posted for students to see, so that they are able to recognize and recall words they have studied. Word walls can be used interactively to promote group learning and cooperation. The words chosen for the word wall should be gradually added over time.

Musical Word Wall Ideas

Word of the Week: Teach one word to students each week and have them record it in their Word of the Week notebooks. Post the word on the Word Wall.
Jeopardy: The teacher may divide the class into two teams for this game. The teacher calls out a point value (100, 200, 300, 400 or 500) then shows the students a word. Team one may try to give the correct definition. If team one is unable to correctly give the definition, then team two may have a turn. In the next round team two is given the first opportunity to give a correct definition. Points are awarded when students give a correct definition. Another option is to have the class work together as one team to try and beat their best score.
Around the World: Have students sit in a circle. To begin, one student stands behind another student and the teacher reads a definition of a word. The student who is able to name the word the fastest will continue to move around the circle. When a student who is standing is beaten, they must sit in the place of their competitor, while the winner stands up and continues to work their way around the circle. The student who makes it back to his or her own starting point is the winner.
Face-Off: The teacher divides the class into two teams for this game. The teacher reads out a definition of a word while a competitor from each team stands in front of the white board. The student who can write the word correctly on the white board first, earns a point for his or her team.
Tic-Tac-Toe: Divide the class into two teams of X’s and O’s. Draw a large tic-tac-toe playing area on the board and write a musical word in each of the tic-tac-toe spaces. Each team takes a turn coming up, choosing a space and giving a correct definition for the word in that space. If the child gives the correct definition, he or she may draw an X or O for his or her team in that space. If the answer is incorrect, the other team may send a player to try and give a definition of that musical term.
Race to Erase: The teacher divides the class into two teams for this game. Each team has their own columns of words written on the board. Each column should be approximately equal in difficulty. Each team stands in a straight line in front of their words. A student from each team chooses a word, and if they can correctly explain what that word means, then they are able to erase it. The team that erases all of their words first wins the race.