Word banks have long been part of lessons right across the curriculum, provided to pupils to extend their vocabulary, support their writing or expand their understanding of a subject. They can be a simple but very powerful tool for learners of all ages.

When I was at school, I remember that my word banks were contained in small notebooks that we kept on our desks for easy access, in which we would add words to the lists ourselves. For today’s teachers web 2.0 tools have opened up a range of hugely exciting and motivating ways of creating and providing word banks for learners.