This annual journal offers research articles, a teaching forum, and announcements on Celtic language learning. The publication's mission is to provide a forum where teachers and applied linguists can contribute to the literature presently available on second language acquisition as well as increase communication among Celtic language teachers and…

This study examined the effects of specially designed thinking journal activities that have been attributed with encouraging reflective thinking, on instruction using generic, or content-free, problem solving software. Sixty-three fourth grade students participated in four instructional sessions using the software package called "Moptown Hotel."…

The personal journal is a combination of class notebook and diary, a repository of entries which are recorded on a regular basis, are ungraded, and which remain confidential. As an instructional tool, the journal is virtually limitless. Studies have demonstrated the practical applications of journal writing for educators in the following areas:…

This study analyzed 42 preservice teachers' reflection levels during their Master of Education program. Participants completed three types of reflective journal writing (reflections on selected readings, class discussions, and early field and student teaching experiences). The 21 control students received a 30-minute orientation that provided…

Small-group cooperative learning was integrated into a physics class to alter the traditional lecture/laboratory format of the course and to provide support for students' feelings of helplessness and isolation in studying physics. At weekly meetings, groups of 4-6 students met to solve physics homework problems assigned during the traditional…

A quality evaluation program is needed to determine student progress in the language arts. Evaluation procedures emphasized should appraise in terms of stated objectives. A variety of procedures should be used since no approach is perfect. Approaches include: instructor observation of student progress; completion of checklists or rating scales;…

A discussion of diary studies, research on second language learning and teaching that uses student journals about the learning experience, defines the method, reviews a number of such studies, and examines the pros and cons of this approach. It is noted that diary studies are first-person case study research, a form of empirical (data-based)…

Inviting students to read, write, and think, this book discusses 13 different types of journals and the stories of 25 classroom pre-K through high-school teachers who have built more effective journal writing into their classrooms. The book presents clear and easy-to-follow strategies for incorporating journaling into classroom practice. The book…

This yearbook presents seven articles on topics of interest to teachers of language and literature at all levels, kindergarten through college. Articles are: "Fourth Grade Shakespeare" (Mary McNulty); "What's That There in Your Crystal Ball?: Using Journals to Make Predictions" (Katie Wood); "The University English…

Using simple writing strategies, senior citizens at an elder camp workshop collected memories in journals. In some cases, readings were used to trigger memories. The exercise enabled students to make connections between their own life experiences and the life experiences of others. Workshops encouraging participants to tell their own stories for…

Using math journals on a weekly basis in second- and third-grade classrooms allows students to proceed at their own rate to converge on an understanding of mathematical concepts using their own experiences. Such journals also provide teachers with a unique diagnostic tool. Students' journal entries regarding telling time and the concept of…

A study examined the emergence of English writing in a kindergarten classroom where about three-quarters of the students were limited-English-proficient (LEP) and spoke a variety of native languages, including Spanish, Hmong, Lao, and Cambodian. Regular daily journal writing sessions were videotaped periodically and analyzed over the course of the…

A literature review examined the relationship between journal writing and thinking processes. Little was found in the way of actual research but much was located in the way of authoritative statements from practitioners of journal writing. The literature suggests that journal writing is beneficial in students' personal life, in the educational…

Journal writing can be used as a tool for the assessment of teaching while allowing students to have an active and expressive voice in their learning. Journal writing provides an excellent interactive format in which students can more freely express their understanding or lack of understanding of the subject matter. The entries also frequently…

Discusses the experiences of one student as she used her journal writing and the resources of a writing laboratory to adapt her expressive writing to the requirements of academic discourse. (RS)