1.
Writing
is active, not passive
2.
Writing
slows down thinking, allowing more time to plan reflect, and discover.
3.
Written
responses go deeper than talk, deeper than true/false, short answer tests, and
certainly deeper than no response.
4.
Writing
helps us become more aware of what we do and do not
understand.
5.
Opportunities
to write contribute to knowledge of how written and oral language
are related and to growth in spelling, vocabulary development, and
reading comprehension.
6.
Journals
encourage us to take risks in expressing our own reactions.
7.
Journals
afford us the opportunity to experience (and experiment with) a different form
of composing.
8.
Journals
serve as excellent source material for future individual responses to works of
literature.