1. Psychotherapy? Physical Therapy? Speech Therapy? Writing Therapy!
Dialogue Journals
Psychotherapy?
Physical Therapy?
Speech Therapy?
Writing Therapy!
Judy Kahalas for Roxbury Community College

2. What are Dialogue Journals?
A dialogue journal is a conversation in print form between two people.

3. Who Participates in Dialogue Journals?
Teacher and student
Student and Student
Student and Group

4. How do Dialogue Journals Work?
Research - Vygotsky on the acquisition of knowledge:
External Dialogue (new knowledge)
Internal Dialogue (thought)
Oral Dialogue (speech)
Print Dialogue (writing)

5. The Main Ingredients There are four ingredients in dialogue journals:
A notebook or piece of paper
A writing utensil
An initiator
A responder

6. The Initiator The initiator of a dialogue journal writes Thoughts
Questions
Inspirations
Initiators may be given prompts, such as an essay or an idea from a discussion, or they may write about any topic of interest.

7. Responders Responders to dialogue journals
care more about meaning than form.
encourage students to be comfortable in the written modality.
help students think critically and creatively.
reinforce confidence by valuing the student’s ideas and opinions.

8. Dialogue Journals and Learning Functions
Dialogue journals utilize learning functions:
Observing
Reporting
Questioning
Formulating opinions
Predicting
Evaluating

9. In conclusion . . .
Dialogue journals may be used in all disciplines and help elicit ideation.
Dialogue journals may be used to measure student progress.
Dialogue journals help us understand our students, their values, traditions, and beliefs.

10. A Final Word
Students should be reminded that they should not write in their journals any private information that they do not wish to share with their professor or other students.
However, students sometimes use their dialogue journals as a means of confiding in their professors. In some cases, it may be necessary to exercise professional judgment in evaluating potential for harm in the content.