Effects of the word wall strategy on sight word reading in second-grade students: A single-group quasi-experimental study

This study investigated the effects of word wall strategy on sight word recognition among second-grade students at a primary school in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. A single-group quasi-experimental design was employed, with a purposive sample of 50 second-grade students. The effectiveness of the strategy was evaluated through a pre-test-post-test design, supplemented by observations and teacher interviews. Quantitative findings revealed that the use of the word wall strategy significantly improved students' sight word reading performance. Qualitative results indicated that students with lower reading confidence were less likely to take risks, emphasizing the strategy's role in enhancing engagement and better reading. The results suggest that second-grade teachers should integrate sight word instruction into their plans and cultivate a literacy-rich environment to offer students ample opportunities to practice sight words. Future research could look into the strategy across various class sizes, grade levels, and educational settings.