Benefits of Journal Writing Taylor Van Niel English 3690

Journal Writing in the Elementary Classroom Very effective Become more confident in their writing Gain fluency and practice Fun and creative Learning how to start their writing Shows progress Free write Share with peers and teacher

Teachers Say It Really Works! “One of the best things about daily journal writing is that it can take so many forms. Teachers can use journal writing to meet specific goals, or the purpose can be wide open. Some teachers check journal writing and work on polishing skills; others use journals as the one "uncorrected" form of writing that students produce. Some teachers provide prompts to help students begin their writing. Others leave decisions about the direction and flow of student journals up to the students!” -Gary Hopkins

Keep on writing!! Focus students and build skills Develop relationships and learn about your students Benefits! Writing prompts Safe writing -> "Students feel more free to write if their ideas are not being judged and if they are not afraid they will be marked down for their mistakes. As the year goes by, I see improved thinking and improved writing just from this safe practice.” (Sharon Powell)

Great resources for students and teachers! http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-journals-efficient-teacher-responses http://www.primary-education-oasis.com/benefits-of-journal-writing.html http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr144.shtml http://k6educators.about.com/cs/languageartswr/a/journalwriting.htm