Journals

SDAIE Strategy: Journal Writing

 The use of journals is a SDAIE strategy that provides students with a meaningful writing activity while encouraging individual thinking. Teachers can use journals in the classroom for all curriculum areas as well as with any grade level. For your English language learners, using journals in the classroom gives the students the opportunity to use English in a non threatening atmosphere.

__Benefits for Using Journals:__ 1. Promotes love for writing 2. Develops fluency and automaticity 3. Great for beginning writers, can draw pictures to help illustrate what they’re trying to write. 4. Helps with reading 5. Summarize ideas, experience, and opinions before and after instruction 6. Can be used for communication with the teacher 7. Can be used as an assessment for teachers; teachers can plan their direct instruction based on what the students have learned or what they still need extra instruction on

__How to Use Journals in the Classroom:__ 1. This first thing that teachers need to consider when using journals in the classroom is what type of journal they want to use and well as what the purpose of the journal is going to be. 2. Next decide what kind of journal you are going to provide your students. Ex. Composition books, papers folded in half and stapled together, etc. 3. When you first introduce the journals to your class, it is important that the teacher first models what a journal entry should look like. 4. Teachers need to schedule a time in the day that is dedicated to journal writing.

__Types of Journals:__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Personal Journals – This is a journal that students can use to write down their private thoughts, ideas, or interests. The teacher does not comment on the journal entry unless the student asks to do so.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Dialogue/Communication Journals – This journal is a written conversation between the student and the teacher. The teacher will respond to the content of the journal entry and not correct the writing. Instead, the teacher will model correct spelling and grammar in their written responses.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Buddy Journals – This journal is a written conversation between two students. Students can write and respond to each other through this journal.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Math Journals (any subject) – This journal will be used specifically for math lessons. The students can take notes in this journal as well as solve daily math activities. This journal is very useful because students can use this journal as a study tool for things that they have learned throughout the year.

By:Mackenna Karasawa

References: ([]) Peregoy, Suzanne and Boyle, Owen. “Reading, Writing, and Learning in ESL." Pearson Custom Publishing, 2008. Print.