Words Used to Describe Frequency
This set is easy for students to understand without the need for a written L1 translation because the words are arranged vertically and the percentages next to each word serve as a quick reminder. I still make it a point to give them the L1 translation when I show them this and establish meaning during the first week of class.
I mostly use these when we’re doing PQA. For example:
Teacher: “¿Clase, quién puede encontrar una ganga en Target?”
Student: “Yo.”
Teacher: “¿Siempre o a veces?”
Student: “Pues…a menudo.”
Frequency Words Scale – Microsoft Word Document
“Sense of Time”
I first want to say that this is not my original creation. I found something similar on the iFLT/NTPRS/CI Teaching Facebook page and modified it to better suit my needs. If you know who originally designed this, I would like to credit them here.
Apart from the question words that are above my whiteboard, I probably use this wall reference more than any other. It’s especially helpful when doing Weekend Chat.
I drew this directly on my painted concrete block wall with dry erase markers. It has been there for more than two years and I only occasionally have to touch up the suns with a yellow highlighter from time to time! It wouldn’t be hard to remove with some isopropyl alcohol if you needed to take it down either.
High Frequency Verb Wall
Whatever you happen to call the core set of verbs, here they are. It is important that you point out to your students that all of these are used to say “he/she/you (formal)” and that they will look different if the subject changes. I chose the third-person singular form for two reasons: a.) it’s what we use most often in stories and b.) my students tell me that it’s the form that most closely resembles the infinitive (what I call the “dictionary form” in class) and is therefore easiest to recognize for them.
Verb Wall – Microsoft Word Document
Transition Words
These are high-frequency words that are difficult to come up with gestures for. I tell my students that a lot of these words are the “glue” that they can use to start stringing together separate thoughts as they move into the intermediate level of proficiency. Most kids glance over at this during their free writes. I don’t care that they haven’t acquired 100% of what they have written (the words they’re looking at on this wall) if this gives them the confidence to keep writing the whole time.
Transition Words – Microsoft Word Document
Useful Classroom Phrases Posters
These posters are designed to print on 17″x11″ paper. I believe they cost about $3 each to print and laminate at Staples several years ago.
