Friday, November 22, 2013

The Benefits of Journal Writing


A great way to encourage writing is getting a journal for your child. Journal writing has several benefits. First, it gets your child writing more and developing their own voice. It also gives them a space where they won’t feel like they are being graded or judged. Make sure that you give them their space and that they understand that private is private.

Don’t worry too much about if they are spelling things right or if they are writing their letters right – this is their space to try and explore. Journal writing can be an extension of private speech for younger children. Developmental psychologists have found that private speech (when children engage in their own private dialogue) helps young children internalize rules and morals. It allows them to “think outloud” as they are trying to figure new situations.

This can also be helpful as they are starting to learn to regulate their emotions in age appropriate ways. They may want to share what they write with you from time to time, but make sure that if they want privacy that you give it to them. Developing a relationship of trust will be invaluable as your child is older. You can give them a small speller or dictionary if you want them to do their best with accuracy, but remember, the focus of a journal is just to get them writing, not necessarily to do it perfectly.

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