Sometimes, the old ways of doing things can be the best.  One of the learning hurdles for psychology students is the amount of new terminology they must learn.  Additionally, they must learn how each of these terms relates to the course concepts.  Building a concept wall is one way to support students in their learning.

A concept wall is simply a space in the classroom where you have six “posters” for the concepts to which you will add terminology throughout the course. When you teach a new way to discuss bias, for example, you would add the term to the list.

So, why not have students complete this in a shared Google Doc or on a dedicated page in their notebooks?  I like to use word walls to support and provide formative feedback during assessments, especially as students learn how to write the different types of exam questions.  This will be especially important on Paper 1, Section C, and Paper 2, Section B.

When students are writing one of these sections, I would encourage them to use our word wall. They are not allowed to discuss the words or ask questions, but this is intended to prompt their memory of the various ways they have applied concepts in class.

If you want to go further, have them underline in red pen any term that they use from the list. During the assessment, provide direct feedback on those terms as you walk around. It could be - have you linked this to the study (Paper 2, Section B)? Or, "This is a good application of the term. Try to use some of the other terms now." This kind of feedback during the assessment helps students develop critical thinking strategies on the spot and improves their overall performance. As they get more confident in their use of terminology, you can take this scaffolding technique away, and they can stand on their own.

For an example of a concept wall, see this page.