Sound Walls Explained Research, Tips, and Tricks

Hey there, fabulous teachers! Ready to take your literacy instruction to the next level? Stick with me for this video all about sound walls.

I have had my sound wall up on the bulletin board behind me for quite some time now, and one comment I’ve been getting a lot lately is, tell me more about this sound wall! So, I thought I’d take a few minutes and talk to you about sound walls and let you know where you can get your hands on the one you see behind me.

First, whether your school has adopted a science-of-reading aligned reading curriculum or not, the research is clear on this; sound walls support literacy instruction. They can make a huge difference in your classroom, but choosing the right sound wall and incorporating it into your instruction isn’t as simple as printing and stapling.

So, in this video, I’ll share some information about how sound walls help literacy instruction, great tips and activities for using them in your instruction, and what to look for when choosing the sound wall that is best for your learners. Plus, stick around to find out how you can get your hands on the exact sound wall we’re using today. Let’s dive in!

#elementaryliteracy
#structuredliteracy #literacy #soundwall #elementaryteacher #teacher #readingreadiness #readingteacher #readingtips #scienceofreading #decodablereaders

References:
Birsh, J. R. (2011). Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills.
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School.
Ehri, L. C. (2005). Learning to read words: Theory, findings, and issues. Scientific Studies of Reading.
Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S. R., Willows, D. M., et al. (2001). Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read: Evidence from the National Reading Panel's meta-analysis.
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model.
International Dyslexia Association. (2002). Definition of Dyslexia.
Moats, L. C. (2020). Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers.
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a Self-Regulated Learner: An Overview. Theory into Practice.

[jaimekush]

I am a Reading Interventionist - I teach multiple grade levels at different skill levels. My sound wall is up and all posters uncovered - do you have an idea of HOW I can "uncover" a new skill per group using ONE sound wall?? As a classroom teacher I was able to do this and it was very powerful, but I'm struggling with having multiple classes accessing one resource. Thank you!

[mysavrr]

Hello Ms. DiGilio! I love your channel. Are you familiar with Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching? If so, do you agree with it? If so, do you have any support for teachers with Domain 3 4b? Thank you for your reply.

[theapocalypse]

Why doesn’t your sound wall have an illustration? I am trying to understand how some sound walls include an illustration to each phoneme but yours does not. Hope you reply.