How to Make a Portable Word Wall

If you want to make a portable word wall 

in your classroom...

1. See a portable word wall in a 

colleague's classroom.

2. Research the portable word wall and 

see an example of one on Pinterest.  All word cards are sorted by the letter of the alphabet and stored on a one inch book ring.  Each book ring is hung on its own (removable) hook in alphabetical order across the wall under the chalk ledge.  

3. Go to www.djinkers.com and purchase alphabet border and printer pages.  Create the ABC covers for each book ring.  Find an amazing site with free flashcards, www.uniqueteachingresources.com

4. Heidi McDonald has created the site, Unique Teaching Resources and it is a goldmine.  Heidi has grouped the Fry Words in lists of 100 words.  Each set includes the list, a student profile list, weekly word lists and color-coded flashcards.  Run the flashcards on cardstock and cut them out.  Three-hole punch the cards and sort the cards according to the letters of the alphabet.  Put all of the letters cards on their correct letter card ring.  Hang the 26 removable hooks on the wall and hang the portable letter card rings in alphabetical order on the hooks!  

I have attached a copy of the ABC cover cards, a full-size word work journal and a smaller -version of the word work journal.  Get your copy HERE.  

Unique Interactive Word Wall & Student Journal

Check out these Alphabet Posters or Alphabet Posters & Student Journal

with Embedded Sight Words and High Frequency Words by clicking on TPT

ABC Posters alone 

ABC Posters & Matching Student Journal

Word walls can be effective literacy tools that have the potential for enhancing vocabulary learning when used in conjunction with effective instructional practices.  Reading fluency is one of the primary elements in the reading process.  It is the ability to read orally with speed and efficiency, including word recognition, decoding, and comprehension (Chard & Pikulski, 2005).  Research has shown that one effective way to improve reading fluency is by interacting with a word wall and its related activities to develop high frequency word recognition. 

Be the Teacher – students make up a quiz and quiz their partners on ten self-selected word wall words.

Guess That Word  - students give hints to what word they are thinking of by describing the formation of the word.

Let’s Be Creative – students write a story that includes as many word wall words as possible.

Letters in My First Name  - students write their name vertically and then match two word wall words to each letter in their name.

Letters in Words  - students pick ten word wall words and then find two or more words that have the same letter as the original word

Rainbow Writing  -  students write the words from the word wall in different crayons focusing on the configuration of the word while writing.

Shape of Words  - students focus on letter formation (tall, small, and dropped letters) in the word wall words and write the words that are tall, small, and dropped.

Cloze Sentences  - students will fill in words from the word wall to complete cloze sentences from the teacher.

Play Clue  - the teacher will give a clue about a word and then ask students to find the word on the wall that goes with the clue.

Scramble the Letters  - the teacher will scramble letters of a word wall word and give a clue to its meaning.  Students will try to guess the correct word wall word. 

Share a Topic  - the teacher will share a topic with the class and ask students to find all of the words on the wall that connect with the topic.