Resource for Educators: Interactive Word Walls: More Than Just Reading the Writing on the Walls

Interactive Word Walls: More Than Just Reading the Writing on the Walls
By Janis M. Harmon
Karen D. Wood
Wanda B. Hendrick
Jean Vintinner
Terri Willeford

Harmon, J., Wood, K., Hedrick, W., Vintinner, J., & Willeford, T. (2009). Interactive Word Walls: More Than Just Reading the Writing on the Walls. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(5), 398-408. Retrieved 17 June 2009, from Education Full Text database.


Harmon, Wood, Hendrick, Vintinner, and Willeford, (2009), examined whether the interactive use of “Word Walls,” could support vocabulary learning within the classroom. The researchers selected 44 seventh graders from a suburban middle school in Texas. All of the students had the same teacher, yet twenty three students were in the teacher’s first section of the day while the other twenty-one students were in the second section of the reading class the teacher taught. The researchers dubbed the class of twenty-three as the variable class, while the class of twenty-one became the control group. The class of twenty-three were able to self-select the words that they were going to study. Furthermore, this class engaged in the use of a word wall where small group, and whole group research based activities were used. Through the use of the word wall and its engaging tasks, students were shown many meaningful contexts of each of the words in terms of their definitions. The control group continued with a regular vocabulary program that was derived from a commercial vocabulary textbook.

At the end of the study, both classes were given a generic vocabulary test that was found in the back of the control group’s textbook. There were no significant differences in the scores between each class. However, two weeks after learning and assessing of the words occurred, students were given a “surprise” quiz to test how much they retained from the previous vocabulary instruction. The word wall group scored significantly higher in the application portion and sentence completion section of this quiz. These students demonstrated an overall better understanding of each of the words, leading them to better be able to apply the words in situations that arise weeks after a specific word is taught. Therefore, this article shows that students’ vocabulary increases through the use of engaging and thought-provoking instruction that requires students to make meaning of the words being taught. The more a student can manipulate a word to make connections, the child’s vocabulary and thusly reading comprehension will excel drastically. This resource is a simple must read based on the plethora of information it provides educators to help foster a thrilling vocabulary learning environment in their classrooms!