Implementation of Journal Writing in a Third Grade Math Class

Abstract

This study examined the effect of journal writing in ·a third grade mathematics class. One class of 20 third grade students was asked to do journal writing two to three times per week as a part of their mathematics instruction. students in the two remaining third grade classrooms were presented with the same instruction in mathematics without journal writing. Following the nine week study, students were all given the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Level 9. Using a posttest-only, equivalent groups design and the t test for independent samples, it was found that those third grade students who did journal writing as part of their mathematics instruction achieved no higher scores than the third grade students who did not do journal writing as a part of the mathematics instruction. This study failed to reject the null hypothesis that journal writing would enhance scores of mathematics achievement.