Encourage Writing using Reading Journals

This summer I’ve been posting reviews of our writing products as well as some articles about writing. This is an article that I wrote last summer that I thought you might find helpful.

Reading journals are a powerful tool to help your students learn.

Personally, I believe reading journals are an excellent way to have your students interact with their readings and improve their writing at the same time. Whether your kids are six or sixteen they can write about what they read and begin their journal writing programs.

My teenagers kept a reading journal this past year. It specifically dealt with their literature reading assignment. At the beginning of the year, they wrote about the events that occurred in the story. As the year passed, they began writing more about the characters or the lessons they were learning from the story. By the end of the year this was an informal essay, going beyond simply recapping what they read.

Here’s a video review of some of our writing products,
“Excellence In Literature: British and American.”

This has worked so well that we are now introducing it to my twelve-year-old son. At the end of each day, he will write journal entries on what he really learned each day. This has been especially helpful with Bible readings. By writing a paragraph on his morning devotions, we will be able to reinforce what he learns.

When my children were younger, they would narrate aloud what they read earlier that day. I would write it down for them. The following day, my kids would copy the narration in their best handwriting. Young children can have journal writing instruction as they enter copy work into their journals.

Journals help my kids write on a daily basis, but I don't think it teaches writing. I use Teaching Writing: Structure.
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Copyright Kerry Beck, 2009 You have permission to reprint this article, as long as you don’t make any changes and include the bio below.

Kerry Beck encourages homeschool moms and classroom teachers in writing narrative. Sign up for her free mini-course about high school writing today.