Teaching Expertise

A sound wall is an educational aid that has revolutionized language learning! Moving beyond alphabetic organization, it arranges sounds, also known as phonemes, as we would naturally learn them. 

Introducing one into your classroom could be just what you need to enhance literacy education. It serves as a constant visual reinforcement of phonics instruction and undoubtedly improves spelling, reading, and writing skills by helping learners establish robust links between sounds and their corresponding letter patterns.

Choosing The Perfect Sound Wall 

Now the fun comes in- choosing a sound wall that best suits your teaching needs and the needs of your learners. 

The vowel sound wall is a space dedicated to illustrating the different vowel phonemes, mouth positions, and associated spelling patterns.

On the other hand, a consonant sound wall focuses on consonant phonemes;  exposing the numerous ways consonant sounds can be manifested in writing.

Lastly, a combination sound wall offers the full package- presenting both vowel and consonant sounds in one cohesive resource.

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Preparations Before Setting up Your Wall

Before setting up a sound wall, we need to grasp its primary function. This being that it helps us foster a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between spoken language and written words.

The choice of location is therefore paramount! Consider a spot that’s going to be easily seen and accessible from multiple points in your classroom.

Once you’ve located the perfect position, gather the following:

  • large paper or poster boards
  • markers
  • printed phoneme visuals
  • mouth articulation images
  • suitable adhesive materials such as Prestik or double-sided tape

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Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up a Sound Wall

  1. Firstly, map your layout. Place visuals at your students’ eye level and ensure that every phoneme is clearly visible.
  2. Arrange the phonemes based on the positioning of the human mouth; from the front (lips) to the back (throat).
  3. Craft visual aids for each sound. Here, it could be beneficial to consider using mouth articulation pictures or examples of words containing the sound.
  4. Once you’ve arranged all of the above, get to work installing your sound wall before integrating it into your everyday classroom resources. 

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Incorporating the Sound Wall into Your Teaching Routine

There are a few ways that you can go about making your sound wall a core part of your teaching toolkit. You could highlight relevant phonemes during reading or spelling exercises. Alternatively, you could foster student interaction with the wall. This will help promote a multisensory learning experience as your kiddos touch and trace phonemes while vocalizing them.

Remember to keep your sound wall fresh and relevant by maintaining and updating it in line with your students’ expanding knowledge and interest base.

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