Double-Entry Journals

Are you a new teacher? If you are, here is an excellent reading strategy that you will want to put in your toolbox! Double-entry journals give students a way to interact personally with the text, by reflecting on and writing about their understanding of the material they are reading. Students can use the text to form an opinion and then use pieces of text to support their opinions. By writing about what they are thinking, students show their thinking process as they read, allowing teachers to redirect or encourage students to be more effective readers. If you are struggling with monitoring students’ thinking and reading process and want to give students the opportunity to express their thoughts and become actively involved with the material they read, I encourage you to watch the demonstration video to have a clear idea of how you could implement this strategy in your future classroom!