The value of journal writing to a course with adult students cannot be overemphasized. Journals and diaries have a long history as a means of self-expression.
Journals are useful learning tools in a variety of adult education settings.
Dialog journals, for example, have become popular in adult literacy and English as a second language classrooms. This digest focuses on several types of journals, exploring their value in assisting adults through their learning journey and summarizing advice from the literature on effective ways to use journals. Types of Journals One type is the reader response journal or literature log , in which learners record their responses to readings. Usually, entries are shared with the class, stimulating discussion. In one variation described by Perham, a looseleaf notebook accessible to the whole class becomes a collaborative journal in which learners and teacher make ongoing comments.