Mommio's Creations | Summer Bridge Worksheets

I've created a journaling page. It includes a space to draw and a few lines to write. After chatting with my step-mother (a 2nd grade school teacher), she emphasized the importance of journaling even if it's as simple as writing about something they did that day. To sort of reinforce her claim, I found an article written by Tonya Wright where she discusses the value of journal writing. The article can be found on the Literacy Connections website.

Below is an excerpt from the article, but it's worth checking out the original article if you have time.

Journal writing with young children serves five major purposes:
1. It teaches children that their thoughts, feelings, and words can be transferred from their minds onto paper for others to see and read.
2. Children learn to value writing, and to respect the writing of others.
3. Journal writing gives children REAL and RELEVANT opportunities to learn the conventions of print such as:
     a) Print goes from left to right;     b) There is a difference between pictures and text;     c) Print goes from the top to the bottom of a page;     d) Letters make up words, and other rules of the written language.
4. Young children need to experiment with letters, letter sounds, and inventive spelling in a non-threatening way.
5. Writing gives children time to practice the fine motor control that will help them become better writers.

Journaling Page