Dialogue journal

History of Dialogue Journal Use and Research

The use of dialogue journals as a classroom practice was first documented in the early 1980s, with an in-depth study of its use in a sixth grade classroom in Los Angeles. The teacher, Leslee Reed, wrote daily throughout the school year with each of her students in a dialogue journal (a small notebook) to promote personalized, ongoing, supportive communication.

The first study of Mrs. Reed's classroom of all native English speakers (1979-1980) was followed by a second study (1981-1982) of the same teacher teaching a 6th grade class of students from other countries, all learning English as a second language (ESL), again for an entire year.

The practice spread to deaf education in 1982, with the invitation from William Stokoe at the Gallaudet University Linguistics Research Laboratory to Jana Staton to conduct research and work with teachers at all levels on the Gallaudet University campus.

With the publication of research on the sixth grade ESL students, use of dialogue journals with ESL students and research on the practice and outcomes began growing through the 1980s and 1990s. The practice is now used in educational settings and classrooms at all age levels, from kindergarten through university courses, in adult education programs, and in teacher education programs, to promote open communication, connections among teachers and learners, knowledge sharing, and reading and writing development.

Key Concepts and Key Features

Research on dialogue journal use at all age levels—with native speakers of the language of the writing, first and second language learners, deaf students, and teachers—has identified key features of dialogue journal communication that set it apart from most writing in educational settings: authentic communication, collaborative learning and knowledge building, critical thinking, personal voice, critical pedagogy, reciprocal discourse, zone of proximal development, literacy as an interactive process, relationship building, and counseling.

A dialogue journal allows students and a teacher to together use authentic communication (including questioning, complaining, complimenting, apologizing, and requesting) to communicate honestly and openly and “get things done”. This distinguishes it from most student writing assignments, which are restricted to monologic description, explanation, or narrative. This aspect of everyday language use is known in philosophy as speech acts (John Searle) and in linguistics as pragmatics. (J.L. Austin) Dialogue journal conversation, unlike academic writing, opens up opportunities to use almost the full range of these natural functions of language.

By engaging in interactive and functional interactions in a private context, dialogue journal partners in educational settings are engaged in collaborative learning and collaborative knowledge building about the topic or task they are working on, each other's experiences and background, and perceptions and thoughts about shared topics. In a classroom setting, the teacher is able to learn about each student's interests, concerns, fears, and experience within and outside the school.

Dialogue journals have been studied by a number of researchers for their value in developing students' critical thinking by providing opportunities for students to practice self-reflective awareness and to critique classroom practices, teaching assignments, and social contexts, in both first and second language acquisition settings. Practice with critical thinking in exploring their own worlds and the worlds of others, with the words that they have at their disposal, results in students experiencing personal empowerment and expressing a personal voice—the unique expression of the self that seems like hearing that particular person speak in their writing.

Critical pedagogy in dialogue journal writing creates contexts for students to think critically, often in collaboration with the teacher, and develop communicative language abilities as well as critical understanding and awareness of the language and the world. When critical pedagogy is used in language teaching and in interactive writing, learners have the opportunity to use the language in context, use it in writing to consider authentic situations, and think and act as critically conscious beings.

The dialogue journal's reciprocal discourse structure is often cited as the motivation for both teacher and student to continue their engagement with each other over time without external coercion. The reciprocal nature of the discourse provides multiple opportunities to develop an understanding of the other person's world, culture, and experiences, and thus learning occurs for both. The power to question, challenge, and complain becomes equally shared by both writers.

Dialogue journals visibly record how learning occurs in the zone of proximal development, a key concept in the psychology of Lev Vygotsky. According to Vygotsky, learning takes place in the space or "zone" that a child or learner is working in when solving a problem or accomplishing a task. The teacher or more competent peer assists, "scaffolds," the child's actions or behavior by working collaboratively with the learner. This is different from the learner's actual abilities when working independently on the same task or goal. This concept captures the nature of dialogue journal communication, in which the goal of understanding is achieved by a collaborative effort, with the more competent partner ensuring its accomplishment

Authentic written communication in a first or second language over time develops learner competence in expressing oneself in the language and understanding the statements of the other person. Thus, in dialogue journals, written literacy learning is an interactive process, which moves from conversation to text. Opportunities to participate in authentic written communication in a new language, in contrast to the restrictions of formal written assignments, is perhaps the major reason that teachers of second languages, particularly of English, have adopted this practice in classrooms around the world. (See section on Dialogue Journal Use in International Settings.)

While the descriptions here focus on interactive writing as a way to promote student learning, improved student-teacher relationships can also promote the health and success of students, especially more behaviorally challenged students. In a non-threatening, private context, real issues and personal problems can be discussed and resolved.

Reading

While most studies of dialogue journals focus on the development of student writing, several researchers have explored their use and value for developing and assessing students' reading competence, especially students acquiring English as a second language. Some teachers use dialogue journals as an opportunity for students and a teacher to discuss books that students are reading. In dialogue journal interactions, regardless of whether or not the topic is about reading assignments, reading and writing are integrated as communicative activities.

Writing Development

Increasingly, writing is a critical part of learning in English Language Arts and all content areas, and the ability to write effectively is a requirement for success at all levels of education, from elementary school through high school and in university and adult education classes. Studies of dialogue journal writing have shown that students (and the teachers, classroom helpers, or prospective teachers they are writing with) increase their sense of engagement with each other, learn to express themselves for an audience, and experience an atmosphere of openness and expression. Students also develop writing fluency over time.

Thinking and Learning

In Some Thoughts Concerning Education, John Locke (1693) argues that the purpose of education is to promote rational thinking. While personal journal writing has a long history in education settings as a way to promote reflective thinking, interactive writing in a dialogue journal not only promotes personal reflection but also reflection with another person, who is often more knowledgeable about the topics under consideration.

One study, of first-year students in medical school writing in dialogue journals with their professors, found that the interactive journal writing “provided a safe place for students to describe their experiences and relationships and to question their own values and beliefs.” The process of writing in this way with their teachers broke down barriers between them, through a mutual sharing of thoughts and feelings, which led to enhanced rapport and communication, and thus facilitated students’ personal and reflective perspectives and initiated and encouraged self-awareness.

Second Language Learning

Much of the use of and research on interactive writing takes place in the field of second language learning, whether students are learning English or another world language (Chinese, French, Spanish, etc.). Dialogue journals are reported as valuable instructional tools in language classes with children and adolescents, with university students, and with adults in adult education programs. The writing can take place between students and the teacher or between language learners and native language speakers. The purposes might be overall language acquisition, development of writing abilities, extension of learning of the language beyond time in class, promotion of ability to transition to academic writing in university classes (Moulton & Holmes, 1994), and easing of the trauma of transition to life in the United States.

Deaf Education

Dialogue journals have become an accepted practice in deaf education at all levels since 1983-1984, when the Gallaudet Dialogue Journal Research Project introduced the practice to teachers and instructors at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, Model Secondary School for the Deaf, and Gallaudet University. The Laurent Clerk National Deaf Education Center identifies dialogue journals as one of nine "best practices" for a comprehensive, communication-based literacy approach for deaf students.

At Gallaudet, a year-long study of dialogue journal use with deaf students at the elementary and secondary school levels found that the written interaction enabled beginning fluency with and confidence in using written English. Research on dialogue journal use with deaf college students showed that with optimal conditions (a motivated teacher and frequent exchanges, at least 2-3 times weekly), students developed important new skills in written competence. They began writing about the same topic across several turns and creating continuous written dialogue and became collaborative, interested conversational partners in written English. They also improved in their ability to read and write effectively. Another study of deaf students’ dialogue journal writing at National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) found that students wrote lucid, coherent, and organized texts, which were fostered by the writing context.

Counseling

One of the many values of dialogue journals is the opportunity for the teacher to provide informal counseling in a non-threatening, private context for individual students on their challenges and problems, whether about instructional or personal concerns. This use is closest to the goal and practice of Mrs. Reed, the original 6th grade teacher who had taken training with Dr. William Glasser on Reality Therapy for classroom teachers. The training led her to use the private written conversations to model the pragmatic, problem-solving perspective of Reality Therapy and to encourage students to think through issues and problems with her guidance. Of her writing with the students, she said, “I cannot think of any better way to learn so much about my students, myself, and my own teaching”.

When dialogue journals are used with adult students in second language settings, and also in teacher preparation, personal and family concerns tend to dominate the topics introduced by both instructor and students, such as the trauma of migration for new immigrants. Anderson, Nelson, Richardson, Webb, & Young found some positive outcomes of dialogue journal use for middle school students at risk for academic failure, social isolation, and dropping out of school. A unique use of dialogue journals with adolescents in an HIV/STI prevention program found that the individualized written interactions helped assess participants’ understanding and internalization of information in a way that addressed unsafe behavior, built trust, and engaged those who were less likely to participate in class discussions.

Studies of dialogue journal use with special needs students (reviewed in another section) have focused on their role in helping students handle emotions, conflicts, and frustrations and build trust with adults as crucial goals of their educational development.

Students with Special Needs

Students with special needs struggle not only with writing and reading acquisition, but with social and emotional development and confidence about their writing. Dialogue journals as an individualized means of private, mutual communication can provide students with support in handling emotions, conflicts, and frustrations. For students with limited writing confidence and proficiency, the opportunity to express ideas and thoughts with teacher elaboration and modeling, and without correction, has been shown to increase their time on task, writing length, and writing quality. Using a single-subject baseline and intervention design, Anderson, Nelson, Richardson, Webb, and Young explored the value of dialogue journals in developing a more supportive student-teacher relationship with emotionally and behaviorally challenged middle school students.

A case study of dialogue journal writing with a young gifted child points out that the learning styles of gifted children (rapid development, open exploration, self-motivated, dislike of rote drills) are uniquely compatible with the dynamic communication that is possible in dialogue journals. Armstrong studied the importance of teachers learning to use a wide variety of language functions to create shared mutuality and engage gifted students in written communication.

Instructional Strategies

A number of publications have outlined clearly instructional strategies that teachers can use to implement dialogue journal interaction effectively, both in writing and orally. The strategies that teachers use depend on the age of the students, their proficiency in the language of the interaction, and the purposes of the class and the interaction. The teacher’s strategies may also be designed to have an impact on the students’ language use and learning.

Instructional strategies include establishing a culture of interactive writing by introducing the idea to students (continuous writing throughout the semester or school year); emphasizing that this is authentic communication and not for the purposes of correction or a grade; and describing the form that the interaction will take place (e.g., in a notebook, on a computer, through email), how often the interactions will take place (e.g., each day, once a week), and the topics or themes that will be the focus (if there are specific topics or themes).

Teacher Professional Development

Dialogue journal writing has become an important component of professional development for teachers in both pre-service teacher training programs at universities and in in-service workshops and coaching. It might take place between the professor and a class of prospective teachers in a teacher preparation program; between prospective or new teachers and experienced teachers they are working with, as a mentoring and coaching opportunity; or between prospective or practicing teachers. Those who use and study these approaches have found that these professional conversations promote reflection on oneself as a teacher and between teachers as they reflect on their practice. Some research focuses on the types of responses and interactions that are effective for promoting teacher learning. With use of the Internet, these interactions can take place among educators around the world.

Dialogue Journal Use in International Settings

While the use of dialogue journal writing in educational settings originated in the United States, it is used around the world to promote writing and critical thinking. It is most frequently used to promote learning of English as a second language. Countries using and publishing about dialogue journal writing include Canada, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, South Africa, and Taiwan.

Outcomes Research

Research and ethnographic observations have stressed the value of dialogue journals for increasing student engagement and motivation in the classroom. In that context, a recent meta-analysis is relevant. The analysis found that student-teacher relationships (positive and negative) had a strong association with student engagement and a small to medium effect size associated with student achievement. Thus, as dialogue journals are known and valued for creating and improving teacher-student relationships, their positive value in increasing engagement, and therefore achievement (even modestly), may be assumed.

To support and verify such assumptions about dialogue journal writing, studies will need to provide for random assignment of students to either dialogue journal writing or a control condition for a sufficient length of time, ideally within the same instructional context. Where this is not possible, carefully designed studies of individual students can yield strong research evidence. For example, Regan, Mastropiere, and Scruggs conducted a study of special-needs students using a multiple baseline design to measure outcomes of a dialogue journal intervention compared to baseline data. Studies following this design can provide a model of dialogue journal research that addresses issues of selection and maturation.