Dealing with observations, ideas, feelings, and memories, expressive writing is a natural kind of writing which is often close to speech. It may describe a scene or focus on the personal significance of a person, object or memory. It includes writing that is done for the self, like diary or journal entries, as well as pieces like personal letters or reflective passages intended to be read by friends. Because the audience may be the writer s self or an outside reader, purposes for creating expressive pieces vary widely. When composing for an audience, these writers may shape their material to engage readers and to convey a vivid impression of thoughts, remembered images or feelings, and the significance of their perceptions.
Expressive writing provides a foundation for all the other, more formal kinds of writing.
It is the precursor for the more specific types of writing assessed in grades eight and ten. Its importance developmentally for fifth grade writers cannot be overemphasized because it allows young writers to use writing as a way to develop fluency, discover and clarify what they think as well as grow in their ability to perceive and reflect. Elementary teachers facilitate this development when they have students keep journals and writer s notebooks, and when they give students the responsibility for choosing their own topics in a writing workshop situation. Expressive writing prompts are intended to reflect the kinds of writing students do in the classroom. They might, for example, ask students to select a favorite toy and reflect on why and in what ways this toy is important to them.