“He said, she said…” The What, Why, and How of Dialogue Journaling

“He said, she said…” The What, Why, and How of Dialogue Journaling
Heather Robertson Spartanburg Writing Project June 14, 2011

Free template from www.brainybetty.com
Author Study Groups For today’s workshop, please do the following: Take out a blank sheet of paper Sit with your author study group Kingsolver Bragg Rash Morrison 11/28/2018 Free template from

Respond to the following:
With respect to the book your group is reading, what scene has evoked the strongest emotional reaction in you and why? 11/28/2018 Free template from

Essential Question What are the benefits of students using a dialogue journal? 11/28/2018 Free template from

What are Dialogue Journals?
Think about dialogue journals as “legal note-passing.” 11/28/2018 Free template from

A dialogue journal is a written conversation in which a student and a teacher (or two students) communicate regularly (daily, weekly, etc.) Students can write about topics that are important to them in any genre that is appropriate. They may write descriptions, narratives, complaints, or arguments with supporting details. Sometimes their concerns and interests are personal. 11/28/2018 Free template from

What are Dialogue Journals?
Students write as much as they choose and the teacher writes back regularly, responding to the students’ questions and comments, introducing new topics, or asking questions. The teacher is a participant rather than the evaluator who corrects the student’s writing. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Since the teacher’s goal is to communicate with the student, teachers shouldn’t overtly correct errors. The teacher’s response serves as a model of correct English usage, yet this is one place where the student should feel enabled to write freely. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Now it’s your turn… Pass your response to the person sitting directly across from you. Take a moment to read your partner’s response to the author study question. Then take some time to respond to your partner. Give feedback Elaborate Ask questions 11/28/2018 Free template from

“Dialogue journals serve as a bridge between natural spoken conversation, with its participants and turns, and the traditional classroom tasks of essay and report writing. They also allow students to develop more coherent self-expression and personal ‘voice’-both essential aspects of writing which are often lost when basic composition skills are stressed.” Staton, J. Dialogue Journals, ERIC Digest 11/28/2018 Free template from

WHY Dialogue Journals? Dialogue journals create a one-on-one relationship between student and teacher in which both academic and personal concerns can be discussed. The hope is that what the learner “can do with assistance today can be done without assistance in the future.” Jana Staton 11/28/2018 Free template from

Benefits Dialogue Journals help teachers: Dialogue Journals help students: Develop reading and writing fluency Improve spelling and handwriting Understand that writing is a means of communicating, and Make reading and writing part of everyday life. Answer questions asked by the learner Ask questions that help clarify the learner’s thinking or stimulate ideas Get to know more about the learner Use the journal as a record of the learner’s progress. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Benefits Since the practice is completely differentiated, each student benefits in a different way! Research has shown some of the following benefits: Opportunities to engage in reflection, choices, problems, etc. (Staton, 1984) 11/28/2018 Free template from

Opportunities to engage in a natural, purposeful way in various types of writing—narration, description, argumentation, even poetry (Kreeft,1985) 3. Opportunities to read a personalized text (the teacher’s responses) about topics the student has initiated (Gambrell, 1985) 11/28/2018 Free template from

Variations Have the class discuss and agree upon a question for the next entry in the journals. Have learners exchange journals and read each other’s thoughts and ideas. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Variations Instruct students on how to make specific kinds of entries in their journals: Questions about classroom material that is unclear. Reactions to specific classroom material or activities. A summary of the day’s lesson or activities. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Popcorn What is your vision for implementing dialogue journals into your classroom? 11/28/2018 Free template from

Elementary Middle Secondary 11/28/2018 Free template from

Swap again Pass the dialogue journal back to its creator. Read your partner’s response to your original journal entry. How can you further the conversation? 11/28/2018 Free template from

Dialogue Journal Logistics
Materials~ Bound, easily transportable notebooks. Frequency~ The writing must be done regularly, but frequency depends on the number of students involved, the teacher’s schedule, and the needs of the teacher and students. Serves as a great warm-up, a wind-down, or a break after transition. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Dialogue Journal Logistics
Time~ Ten to fifteen minutes is usually adequate to read the teacher’s entry and write a new one. Teachers usually respond outside of class time. Length of writing~ Set a minimum the students must write while introducing them. 11/28/2018 Free template from

Beyond the Classroom To stretch students’ thinking encourage students to have written debates about controversial issues, practice defending or refuting ideas, and use open-ended questions. The purpose is to help them communicate and articulate their ideas in written form. 11/28/2018 Free template from

The Technological Possibilities
Let this be a springboard for incorporating technology. Blogs, s, etc. 11/28/2018 Free template from

For example… Allows students to read high-interest, age appropriate articles and blog about them. 11/28/2018 Free template from

In Closing “Teachers who want to involve every student, even the most reluctant, in a literacy practice which unites reading and writing and encourages thinking and reflection, may want to consider incorporating dialogue journals into their own classroom practice.” Staton, J in Dialogue Journals: ERIC Digest 11/28/2018 Free template from

Resources Gambrell, Linda B. “Dialogue Journals: Reading- Writing Interaction.”The Reading Teacher 38 (1985): Kreeft, Joy. “Dialogue Writing: Bridge from Talk to Essay Writing.” Language Arts 61 (1984): Staton, Jana. “Thinking Together: Language Interaction in Children’s Reasoning.” Speaking and Writing K-12. (1984): Staton, Jana. Dialogue Journals. ERIC Digest (1987) 11/28/2018 Free template from

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