The effect of journal writing on the writing skills of grade one pupils in a private and public school in Dumaguete City

• Main Author: Sicat, Teresa Caroline R.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Journal writing; Creative writing (Elementary) > Dumaguete City; Composition (Language arts) > Study and teaching (Elementary) > Dumaguete City; English language > Composition and exercises > Study and teaching > Dumaguete City; Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3600; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/10438/viewcontent/CDTG004162_P__2_.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The purpose of this study was to determine whether journal writing supports the improvement of writing skills of Grade one pupils. Improvement in writing skills for this study was defined by proficiency in six writing traits: ideas, conventions, organization, fluency, word choice and voice. Sixty-one grade one pupils enrolled in ABC Learning Center (ABCLC), a private elementary school and eighty-six grade one pupils attending West City Elementary School (WCES) were the subjects of this study. Both of these schools belong to the Division of Dumaguete City. All the subjects of the study have no previous experience with writing journals. The study was conducted from June until September, 2006. This study employed an experimental approach, particularly, the pretest-post test Group Design. Subjects in the study were placed in Control and Experimental groups. Pupils in the control group engaged in the usual writing activities in the classroom, while the pupils in the experimental group were introduced to journal writing. Three types of journals were used in this study: personal journals, interest journals and buddy journals. A pretest consisting of a writing sample was required for subjects to submit at the beginning of the study. This pretest served a dual purpose: to determine pupils entry writing skills and to serve as a comparison with the post test writing sample. Pretest and Post test writing samples were scored using a writing rubric developed by the Assessment and Evaluation Program of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon. This writing rubric is called the Six Trait Six Point Rubric for K-1 Writers. Pretest assessments revealed that the majority of the subjects level of writing skill are at the Pre-emerging level with a few at the Emerging (higher) and Experimenting (lower) levels of writing skills. In terms of writing traits, majority of the pupils showed proficiency in the writing traits of ideas and conventions. Most of the submitted writing samples in the pretest mainly consisted of illustrations and labels for these illustrations. A small number of children wrote in sentences. At the culmination of the study, post test writing samples were submitted by the subjects and were compared to their pretest writing samples. Post test scores of the ABCLC and WCES Control Groups showed minimal improvement in writing skills with a number of pupils moving up to the Emerging level and the majority of Control group pupils maintaining their Pre-emerging level of writing as previously assessed in their pretest writing samples. Most write-ups submitted by pupils of the Control groups consisted of labeled illustrations or illustrations accompanied by a sentence to describe the drawing. Gain scores achieved by the ABCLC and WCES Control groups range from .2-.7 and have been interpreted to be low positive gain. Subjects in the Control groups have also displayed more proficiency for the writing trait of Conventions. On the other hand, ABCLC and WCES Experimental Group pupils displayed more proficiency in writing skill as evidenced in their post test writing samples. Pupils from these groups have been assessed to be in the Capable, Developing and Emerging levels of writing skill. This improvement when compared to their previously assessed level reveals that these pupils have advanced in their writing skill by two levels. Writing samples of subjects in the Experimental groups are lengthier with illustrations meant to complement their produced text. These pupils wrote in sentences and paragraphs and incorporated conventions in writing by adding details to their write-ups using descriptive and action words. Positive attitudes also developed towards writing with pupils becoming more independent writers and less apprehensive in expressing themselves in written form. Experimental group pupils vast improvement in terms of writing traits was evident in the gain scores achieved by these pupils. Gain scores ranged from 2.6-1.4 and were interpreted to be moderately high positive gain. Proficiency in three of the six writing traits was also noted among pupils in the Experimental groups. These four traits are: Ideas, Conventions, and Sentence Fluency. Based on the numerical and qualitative data gathered, it was concluded that journal writing had a positive effect on the writing skills of Grade one pupils and was recommended to be included in the writing curriculum of the participating schools involved in this study.