Learning Log Entry 4

On the packet of information for the Journal Genre that Dr. Jones gave us in her sample presentation, there are a few questions that we did not formally address or discuss, so I thought I would give them some attention on my own. 

What makes the journal genre so engaging?
Authors have a unique opportunity with the journal genre that is more difficult to attain in the other genres: personal perspective.  We have already discussed on several occasions the importance of author choice in topic selection.  As Tompkins (2012) describes in her writing process, when students choose topics - instead of teachers - they are more motivated and  passionate writers.  With good reason. I mean, it makes sense, logically, that when able to write about something known or something that one is passionate about, then the writing will be easier, simply because the subject is familiar.  For example, when I write about topics in Geomorphology - landscapes - I can produce a decent piece in half the time than when I am directed to write about Paleontology - little preserved dead things that lived millions of years ago.  My tendency with Paleontology subjects is to find ANYTHING else to complete first - cleaning, dentist appointments, listening to Kenny G.... I mean anything.  Not only am I more motivated when writing about topics that don't make me want to poke my eyeballs out, I find that my writing is better. I am more interested in finding more information, not just enough to get by.  Not only is writing in the journal genre engaging because of the author's personal connection to the subject, reading in the journal genre is engaging for the same reason.  The author has presented the reader with a way to connect with the characters, the plot, the setting in a way that can be easily related to.  Its almost like talking to a good friend about his experiences, instead of reading a dry impersonal account.

How can journal writing be used to engage students in efferent and aesthetic responses to what they read?
The aesthetic response is the easy one for me to answer - journal writing is all about writing down your musings and feeling on a subject.  A teacher merely has to direct students to reflect on who they felt about an aspect or the whole of a reading.  Students do not extensive direction for this kind of response. While students may need time to develop their abilities to communicate their feelings, most are able to look inside themselves to enunciate what they thought about something (confusion, dislike, hatred, happiness.... easily identifiable and easily written).  But what about the efferent? (And as an aside, was I the only one confused by this word? Efferent as in moving away from an organ...the opposite of afferent...as in blood circulation. Or is my nerd showing again...?) The examples that we completed as part of Dr Jones' packet were good examples of efferent responses.  Double entry diaries can help to develop predictions, define ideas, and develop comprehension.  The simulated journal entry asks students to look back to the text for details and ideas given by the author and apply those to their own writing.  The entry must be based on specific information and ideas in order to be complete.

In what ways does engaging the process of composing journal texts improve reading fluency and comprehension?
Tompkins (2012) notes that for emerging writers, fluency can be monitored in analysis of the length of student entries, the presence of "voice", the spelling of words and the increased abilities of these.  I remember being in fourth grade and my (all time favorite teacher, by the way) teacher, Mrs Emelson, had us write journal entries every day.  I was a terrible awful no good speller, and she had me circle words I knew that were incorrect, and later in the day we would look them up together.  Journals can also be used to determine if students understand the information.  If they are journals kept between the teacher and student, questions about content could be asked in a more private or personal manner.


Just realized that this is reading fluency, not writing fluency.  Something that I remember Dr Jones saying would be a running theme. As in, how does writing in the journal genre help students improve their reading?  My fall back for this answer, no matter the genre, is always going to be that writing helps students become conscious of how an author has constructed their text, and therefore helps students become conscious of what the author intends for them to glean from the text that they have composed.  However... what about the journal genre specifically?  Journals help students define their responses.  Sometimes, writing out questions, thoughts, feelings, and the like helps students to later do this while reading, but in their heads.  If a student becomes used to using a double entry diary to make predictions and then modify those predictions as they read on, then that same student will start to use that process automatically when reading other texts.