School Walls as Learning Tools: Engaging Displays for Every Subject

Reimagining School Walls for Dynamic Education

In the modern education environment, using school walls as learning tools helps teaching staff to go beyond textbooks and digital screens. Indeed, they are proving to be an integral visual learning tool, with research showing that well-designed educational spaces can increase student performance by up to 16%.

The blank canvas of a school’s walls can be transformed into vibrant, interactive learning walls that support subject-specific curriculum goals as well as promoting your school’s vision and values.

Interactive learning walls become dynamic, purposeful displays that inspire students. Creative school wall designs that make learning accessible and meaningful deliver engaging educational spaces.

Let’s explore how to use school walls as learning tools, whatever the curriculum subject.

Five Ways That Your School Walls Support Educational Goals

School walls offer unique benefits that make them ideal for spaces for both passive and interactive classroom wall displays. These benefits include:

Reinforcing Daily Lessons and Key Concepts

Interactive classroom displays ensure that core ideas and lessons are consistently visible, helping your students to retain information. For example, a science wall displaying the periodic table supports ongoing chemistry lessons.

Making Learning Accessible

School wall displays provide students with a resource they can refer to throughout the day. Unlike books or devices, walls are immediate and visible to all.

Encouraging Cross-Curricular Connections

Themed displays can tie together subjects, such as combining history and geography for a lesson on world exploration.

Catering to Diverse Learning Styles

Educational wall murals can provide visual, tactile, and auditory engagement, supporting a multi-disciplined approach to education for a diverse range of learning styles.

Encouraging Exploration and Collaboration

School wall teaching aids invite students to interact, either in group study or more independently. Interactive learning walls can be used for brainstorming, problem-solving, or showcasing collaborative projects. They can also be used to extend the learning environment beyond the classroom – into corridors, reception areas, and even the playground.

Subject-Specific Ideas for School Walls

There is a huge variety of school wall design ideas, and you’ll find that the potential of using school walls as learning tools thrives when they are designed to be flexible, engaging, and supportive of multiple and specific subjects.

While you might consider unique design ideas for specific subjects, our experience is that the best design elements hold true across all school wall applications:

• Visual Timelines: Chronological displays can map out events, discoveries, or progressions in any field, and are relatable to the school environment or the wider community to increase relevance and bring subjects to life.
• Interactive Zones: Use tactile elements like magnetic boards, textured surfaces, or movable pieces to create hands-on learning opportunities.
• Involving everyone: Involve teachers, students, parents, and design professionals to get the best results in which all stakeholders feel engaged owners of the project.
• Integrated Technology: Incorporate QR codes and AR (augmented reality) to connect physical displays to digital resources or virtual experiences.
• Collaborative Spaces: Walls can act as group brainstorming hubs, encouraging peer interaction and idea sharing.

Here are some subject-specific applications of these ideas:

Mathematics

• Problem-Solving Boards: Use magnetic surfaces for puzzles and equations students can manipulate.
• Mathematician Timelines: Highlight key figures and their contributions to inspire learning.
• Student Work Display: Dedicate sections for showcasing solutions or math challenges created by students.

English and Literature

• Word Walls: Rotate vocabulary lists, synonyms, and antonyms to support literacy development.
• Literary Maps: Display character relationships, literacy timelines, or themes for visual analysis.
• Poetry Spaces: Create corners where students can showcase their poetry or explore famous works.

Science

• Visual Diagrams: Depict complex concepts like the periodic table, ecosystems, or the solar system with tactile and visual elements.
• QR Code Links: Provide access to virtual experiments or additional resources.
• Science Revision: For example, a Physics Equation Graphic helps students gain a greater understanding of key concepts, and recaps crucial information that is needed in exams.
• Highlight Phenomena: Phases of the moon or the changing seasons are perfect examples.

History

• Historical Timelines: Map out major events or movements in chronological order.
• Interactive Maps: Show the geographic context of historical events, battles, or exploration routes.
• Multimedia Additions: QR codes can link to primary sources, audio clips, or videos for immersive learning.

Geography

• Political Maps: Promote interest and engagement in the subject with real-world knowledge.
• Weather Displays: Track global weather patterns or highlight natural phenomena like earthquakes.
• Tactile Landforms: Use textured maps or 3D models for hands-on learning.

Art and Design

• Rotating Student Galleries: Showcase student artwork to celebrate creativity.
• Colour Theory Displays: Teach concepts like complementary colours or gradients interactively.
• Inspiration Walls: Use boards to display ideas or themes for ongoing projects.

Languages

• Cultural Insights: Highlight idioms, phrases, and cultural references from the language being studied.
• Grammar Games: Create movable elements to gamify grammar rules or sentence structures.
• Visual Aids: Use labelled images and interactive flashcards for vocabulary building.

Physical Education

• Fitness Awareness Boards: Visualize body mechanics, nutrition tips, or inspiring athlete profiles.
• Interactive Video Access: QR codes can link to exercise tutorials or routines.
• Challenge Sections: Include progress trackers or rotating fitness goals to encourage participation.

Incorporating Technology into Interactive Walls

Incorporating technology into traditional learning walls can further enhance the learning experience of your students.

For example, interactive whiteboards can aid brainstorming sessions and allow teachers to present the latest and most relevant information. In addition, integrating QR codes and augmented reality delivers opportunities for students to delve deeper, with links to various resources that might include instructional videos and virtual experiments. Hybrid displays, combining physical elements such as charts with digital screens, create a diverse learning experience that caters to different learning styles.

Embracing new and evolving technologies into school wall displays allows schools to deliver more interactive learning experiences, making education more modern, versatile, and impactful.

Transform Your School Walls Into Learning Tools

Blank walls are as much a void in the school environment as they are empty space in a student’s mind. Yet each wall is a remarkable opportunity to deliver an amazing educational experience that enhances engagement, inspires curiosity, and boosts academic performance.

From subject-specific designs to incorporating innovative technology, interactive learning through school walls can transform classrooms and corridors into vibrant, educational spaces.

At Design for Education, we specialise in crafting wall displays that bring the school curriculum to life, with designs that are tailored to meet your unique needs and objectives.

Let us help you reimagine your spaces. Contact us today to discuss your vision and explore our collaborative design process.

Together, we can turn your walls into tools for lifelong learning.