Writing Journals
Boys and
Writing
Writing journals work!
The evidence is that using writing journals can improve the quality and range
of writing in the classroom.
Teachers working in a Suffolk project also noted how much this impacted on
boys.
Overall conclusions:
• there is a real enthusiasm for writing – especially from boys
• the journal experience is enjoyed by all abilities
• the freedom to choose what to write and how to organise it is really
appreciated
• talking about writing is promoted naturally as part of the process
• many want to share their writing experiences
I think writing journals
are brilliant - you can
do stuff randomly that
you have never been able
to do before and nobody
can criticise you.
The chance to work
with who they like
and choose their own
subject allows them
to feel valued and
trusted
How does it work?
Using a writing journal gives pupils an opportunity to write freely. Teachers
have found that this has increased the range and variety of writing they see in
the classroom – especially from boys.
After just a few weeks of using writing journals, one teacher noted 24
different kinds of writing in some Year 7 journals. You’ll see a list of these
inside this leaflet.
Writing journals work because they give pupils a voice. There is evidence
that pupils who use journals get back or acquire a new sense of ownership.
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What sorts of writing can you find in a writing journal?
After only four weeks, this is the range of writing that
one school found in the journals of one Y7 group
How to get started
Start with a bang. Having a high impact opening to your
use of writing journals makes it seem special to pupils.
Teachers found that beginning with a brainstorm or
spidergram encouraged pupils to see the range of writing
that was possible. Try something like this:
postcards
my diary
pop
profiles
storyboards
instructions
drawings
Add lots more ideas and then stick these into individual
journals for reference. If pupils get stuck suggest some
from the list on the right.
What happens?
Pupils still followed writing rules in their journals. Many
included dates and titles for their work and some had
differences between work in the back and the front of
their books.
Once journals were established, the use of writing
partners was common. Pupils often naturally sought a
partner when there wasn’t one arranged or designated.
They often found out quickly what others were working
on and moved to work with those who might be writing
about the same thing or in the same style.
It quickly became the norm for some sharing of writing
to take place at the end of the lesson or the end of the
period of writing. A typical model was of pupils coming
to the front of the classroom and enthusiastically
reading their work – often in pairs.
The period of journal writing was usually between 15
and 20 minutes with a sharing of the writing for
about 10 minutes.
Many pupils used additional undesignated
time to write in their journals. A high
proportion of girls were doing this but many
boys did too.
charts
tables
lists
poetry
stories
reports
explanations
diagrams
fact files
star profiles
magic tricks
instructions
photographs
captions
diary entries
song lyrics
storyboards
maps
layouts
logos
drawings
cartoon strips
autobiography
biography
nicknames
table of
contents
postcard
playscript
dialogues
chat room
styles
I like to experiment
in my journal
Moving things on…
Once journals have been
established, teachers can supplement with a range
of supporting stimulating material.
Place this in a pile in the classroom so that pupils can access it
during the writing period.
Provide blank formats to support writing – storyboards,
wanted posters, cartoon strip outlines, diary formats etc.
Teachers can inject new stimuli on a regular basis. This could
include advertisements, posters and topical suggestions (the
Olympics, TV reality shows, extreme weather).
Further prompts for writing could include:
artwork (postcards and prints), holiday
brochures, poems, musical inspiration from a
These approaches encourage
range of styles, original writing from other pupils
writers to try new formats and
and articles from magazines – but not the
styles of writing. Teachers
complete magazine. Try sport magazines (e.g.
should offer flexibility here and
boxing, snowboarding, horses, motocross).
encourage really imaginative
Many of the specialist sports magazines have
responses that blend together
different media…
some very sophisticated writing…
A range of these have been provide in the resource pack
for teachers to use. All are copyright free.
I write more in my
journal than in my
exercise book because
it is more fun.
I have things I
want to write in
it all the time.
I feel more
confident in my
ability to write.
This is the most he has
written independently…
I was stopped in a corridor
and pupils often come to the
staffroom to show me their
writing.
I like to write
about subjects I
know about
Planning with a
partner helps
Our work with teachers provides some guidelines for
starting up a writing journals project:
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Start with a group you know well – they need your
confidence and trust
Have a ‘high impact’ start – make the group feel special
The journal is for pupils’ free choice of writing
Work may be read by other audiences
Discuss issues of trust before the writing begins
Teachers should write too - and share their work
Use journals for all kinds of writing - including graphics
and illustrations
Work will not be judged, marked or assessed unless
pupils ask for this
Pupils have ownership of their books
Share writing with the whole class or a writing partner
Writing can be collaborative – paired work is best
Use writing partners to develop the quality of writing
Teachers can prompt hesitant writers - “I don’t know
what to write about today – can you give me some
ideas?”
Writing journals may work best for a fixed period of time
– say, a term
I enjoy writing in
my journal because
it let me write what
I think
I feel more confident
and I’ve started other
kinds of writing
start with a brainstorm or spidergram
〈
establish the ground rules
use the journal for a fixed period of
time each week
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share the writing – teacher’s too!
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later on, introduce new formats and
source materials
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use journals for a fixed period of time