Journaling/Journal Writing

Heather St. Pierre

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM JOURNALING?

WHY?
o Students with learning disabilities
Journaling provides an informal
platform for students to express their
thinking. Teachers can scaffold as

Journal Writing

necessary and provide learning tools

What is Journaling/Journal Writing?

such as recorded texts to help

students organize what they have

Journaling is a learning strategy in
which students record what they have

learned into a journal format.

o

learned, experienced, or analyzed in

order to reflect on their own
interpretations.

Students with Emotional/Behavioral

Disorders

Journaling can be interactive. Students

can share what they have recorded with

Journaling is a tool for any subject area

groups or a partner. This creates a safe

or grade level.

place for students to share their ideas

Teachers can use the information in

and feelings openly without the pressure

student journals to assess in what

to get the answers right.

areas students require further

instruction.

Journals serve as a dialogue between the

Journaling can come at any time during

a lesson. Teachers can utilize this tool
to activate prior knowledge, encourage
creativity, and evaluate student
learning.

All students

student and teacher. It provides a safe

place for students to record what they do
and do not understand about new
material.

FORMATS OF STUDENT JOURNALS

o Blogs
o Google Docs
o Evernote.com (notes/notebooks)
o Video/Audio Blogs
o Daily writing
o Bell Work
o Reflection assignments
o Letters
o Cards
o Message to Family

HOW TO IMPLEMENT JOURNALING

References
Brown, D. M. (2003). Fundamentals of literature:

Select a journal format.

Teaching high school students with special

Select the appropriate class time to use

journaling based upon student needs,
classroom expectations, and teaching
standards.

needs. The English Journal, 92(4), 42-26.

Use either independent journaling, in

which the teacher reads student work,
or Buddy Journaling, in which students
share with a peer or group of peers.
Scaffold for students based upon
writing strengths. For students who are
struggling to write or recall information
they would like to include, provide
necessary anchors such as word walls.
Allow students to include visuals in
their journals to encourage
comprehension.

Fahsl, A. J., & McAndrews, S. L. (2012). Journal

writing: Support for students with learning
disabilities. Intervention in School and
Clinic, 47(4), 234-244.
Regan, K. S. (2003). Using dialogue journals in the
classroom. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36(2),
36-41.
Stan, C. (2012). The role of the reflection journal in
making efficient the learning activity within
formal frames. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 5(2),
67-76.
Valerie, L. M., & Foss-Swanson, S. (2012). Hey!
guess what I did in school today. Teaching
Exceptional Children, 44(3), 40-48.