Driving Change in Special Education

The purpose of this article is to share one middle school's approach to using content area word walls in the classroom, as well as in the hall, to enhance the comprehension and retention of content area vocabulary. Eighth grade teachers and students designed and maintained classroom content word walls, as well as an interactive multi-content word wall in the eighth grade hall. It visually displayed the vocabulary aligned with the eighth grade state curriculum and the annual state assessment. State assessment scores showed an increase in the area of reading, math, and science after students and teachers engaged in these two types of word walls.