Open Access
Visual Aids as Response Facilitators in Dialogue Journals
Author(s) -
M. Gregory Tweedie,
Roswita Dressler
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
language and literacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1496-0974
DOI - 10.20360/langandlit29182
Subject(s) - fluency , psychology , visual literacy , pedagogy , linguistics , mathematics education , philosophy
Dialogue journals are useful pedagogical tools for developing communicative written fluency. While instructors often respond to student writing by modeling, questioning and providing feedback, visual aids are also sometimes used to enhance communication. In this study, findings from an examination of 12 adult English Language Learners’ dialogue journals reveal that the instructor demonstrated an understanding of visual aids, which included instructor-drawn pictures and textual enhancements. Some students responded with hand-drawn pictures of their own and noted that visuals increased their interest in writing and helped them to understand unfamiliar topics. The use of instructor-drawn pictures and textual enhancements as a part of dialogue journals facilitates communication and strengthens the rapport-building for which dialogue journals are well-known.