Using Sign Language Signs to Make Your Word Wall Interactive and Fun

Most primary teachers have word walls that include basic sight words and sometimes content words. The idea is to have children use this wall to practice words, but this rarely occurs unless you bring attention to the words. If you can find a way to make your word wall more appealing, interactive, and fun, your class would be more likely to pay attention to it. How can this be done? Simply by adding American Sign Language signs.

Research has proven that when a student is introduced to a word along with the sign for that word, they retain more information. Hoyer (1985) conducted a study with 10 first grade students who were struggling with recalling their sight words. With only standard methods of instruction, these students' average retention of sight words was 69% over a period of 14 weeks. When sign instruction was added to their lessons, these students who were having difficulty increased their average retention to 93%.

By adding ASL signs to your word wall, it will be more interactive and enjoyable, so your students will be more eager to use it and learn from it, being able to remember and read the words on it.

Here's how:

Take a photo of a student making a sign for one of the words to go on the wall. Put this picture with the written word and tape it to the word wall. Continue this for each word until all of your students have had their photo taken and the pictures have been placed with the written word. Your students will be excited to see their own picture as well as their classmates. They will have fun learning the signs for each word and can even teach the other students their word, creating interaction with their peers and increasing their confidence in their knowledge of the material.

Your word wall can be used during center time and sight word/content word lessons, and you will probably even notice your students spend more of their free time practicing their words at the word wall.

For signs, visit Michigan State University's ASL Web Browser online.

For a quicker way, purchase My First 50 Sight Words in Sign, found on my website.