Grammar drills and punctuation quizzes might be the traditional way to teach mechanics, but journaling can be an interactive, effective approach to improving basic writing skills. Middle school teacher Donnalee Bowerman shares in an article for the website Education World that she saw marked improvement in her students' grammar, punctuation and sentence structure after making journaling a daily activity in her classroom. Regular journal writing and both in-class and for homework give students a free environment to test-drive their skills and apply what they're learning in the classroom, including mechanics and developing their ideas.
Journaling also builds positive classroom communication. A 2003 St. Xavier University study demonstrated that journal assignments can help teachers build rapport, trust and security with students. In addition, they create greater openness among the class body, making students more willing to participate and read their writing. At the same time, journals also give shy students a safe space to open up. Middle school teacher Alicia Merrifield states that journaling has taught her a lot about students who are more guarded in class discussion and helps her better relate to them.
Journaling can also be a positive problem-solving tool, states Michigan Technological University writing programs coordinator Toby Fulwiler. Students who use their journals to write through their confusion about difficult reading assignments often reach surprising insights and connections by "forcing their confusion into sentences." Fulwiler also suggests journaling as a remedy for writer's block. Having students write about their struggles with a major paper can help them brainstorm ideas, informally discuss their writing process and make a plan to resolve the problem.
Ultimately, journaling helps students evaluate and reflect on their learning and skill development, states David Boud of the University of Technology, Sydney. The process allows them to examine the process of completing class assignments and assess what they've learned, what they did well and what could be improved. Syracuse University distance learning professor Roger Hiemstra adds that reflective journaling can also inspire critical thinking about course material and the learning process, helping students connect the reading material or assignment to concepts from other classes or their own lives.