Word Wall
Adding a kinesthetic connection can help students create a mental image of abstract concepts and strengthen the way they think about or understand those concepts (Block, Parris, & Whiteley, 2008; Goldin-Meadow, 2010). When students create a movement while they explain the meaning of that movement, for instance, they build conceptual understanding, which enriches their schema. And brain researcher John Medina (2008) notes that "when touch is combined with visual information, recognition learning leaps forward by almost 30 percent" (p. 208). |
The Objective:
Students will connect a hand motion or movement to the meaning of a vocabulary term in order to create an association and deeper understanding of a term and its meaning.
Materials Needed:
- Vocabulary list with definitions (You may choose to front load these terms or introduce the word, definition, and motion at the same time.)
- Motions or gestures to align with definition of each term (OR you can have the students create the motions)
- Sentence strips to write the word on, to tape on the wall. (You may vary the color for different classes if their vocabulary needs are different)
Student Directions:
Students will record the terms and definitions and learn the motion. This might be split into two days, or done all at once.
Standing and reciting and moving all together as a class, point to the word, say the word, definition and make the motion together.
Standing and reciting and moving all together as a class, point to the word, say the word, definition and make the motion together.
Suggested Activities:
Daily, address the word wall. Say the words and definition while doing the motion for higher retention.
Play games: Brain Ball (Click HERE), Trashket Ball, Vocab Relay Races
Review in partners and have students say the terms, definitions and do the motions together. See how many they can do without the motion. (Just the thought of a motion will pull words and their meaning into the recall section of their brain)
In class discussion, if one of the words is used, have students say the term, definition and do the motion to reiterate its meaning.
Play games: Brain Ball (Click HERE), Trashket Ball, Vocab Relay Races
Review in partners and have students say the terms, definitions and do the motions together. See how many they can do without the motion. (Just the thought of a motion will pull words and their meaning into the recall section of their brain)
In class discussion, if one of the words is used, have students say the term, definition and do the motion to reiterate its meaning.