Electronic Family Message Journals

1. Electronic Family Message Journals Literacy Research Association Conference December 4, 2013 Robin Johnson, EdD, Stephen F. Austin State University Vicki Seeger, NBCT, PhD, Kansas State Department of Education

2. Objectives • Define and explain the purpose for Family Message Journals • Briefly examine research for FMJs • Examine electronic artifacts • Review data from the study • Learn about implementation • Compare paper/pencil FMJs to electronic FMJs

3. What are Family Message Journals? Family Message Journals are a communication tool in which students write a message to their families in letter form about what they are learning in school. Parents respond in writing to the students, asking questions and building upon what the child has written. Family Message Journals encourage writing and communication. The Family Message Journals implemented during this study are based on the work of Julie Wollman-Bonilla (2000).

4. Literature Contributing to Study • Authentic writing experiences are important to support writing development of children (Fletcher & Portalupi, 2001; Hansen, 2007; Olshansky. 2006; Wollman-Bonilla, 2000) • Children’s voices become clear when they have control over their writing (Calkins, 1994; Dudley-Marling & Paugh, 2004; Novinger 2003; Watson, 1996)

5. Literature Contributing to Study • Valuing children’s writing advances motivation for writing and the child’s view of themselves as a writer (Fletcher & Portalupi, 2001; Lane, 1993; Love, Burns, & Buell, 2007) • Children are empowered to write when they write in a supportive environment (Burns & Casbergue, 1992) • Quality of responses to questions and topics are vital (Fletcher & Portulapi, 2001; Hansen, 2007; Moore & Seeger, 2009; Olshansky, 2006)

6. Literature Contributing to Study • Bridging the gap between home and school has long been a concern for teachers (Baumann & Thomas, 1997; Moore, 2004) • Involving families in transformative ways rather than additive ways values what families can contribute to their child’s learning (Moore, 2004) • Begin by presuming that parents do want to be involved in their child’s learning (Wollman-Bonilla, 2000)

7. Why Family Message Journals? • Provides a target audience. • Provides a purpose for writing. • Provides students with the opportunity to write in a safe unedited environment creating a positive writing experience. • Creates a record of the student’s writing ability which can be used for assessing skills. • Strengthens home- school communications. • Gives the family the opportunity to model writing.

8. Why Electronic Journals? • Honors the digital natives in our classrooms • Reinforces integration of technology and content • Using technology in a transformative way • Invitation to families to be a partner in the writing process with their child

9. Why Electronic Journals? • “use technology to research, organize, evaluate, and communicate information” (Larson & Miller, 2011) • Students need keyboarding experiences • Keyboarding has been a little challenging, but we had been doing some keyboarding exercises before winter break, and they are getting better every day. The only thing I might do is introduce keyboarding a little sooner. • Keyboarding is a “great equalizer” (Fletcher, 2006) • Takes away the struggle of handwriting

10. Implementation • Mirrors the same process as paper/pencil journals • Discuss with students and families • Model for students and families • Use the writing for instruction • Assessment of writing From a student’s father: “Our kids need to learn how to write electronically. When I work from home, that is what I do, and they have to know how to do this. It’s important that they learn how to write without using text messaging kinds of writing [conventions].”

11. Differences • Make decisions about the devices • Set up email or Googledoc accounts for students and/or parents • Enlist the assistance of the technology professionals in the school or district • Give families choices about how they will journal with their child

12. Study Design • Qualitative case study • Three elementary classrooms in three states: small rural setting, mid-sized suburban setting, small city with diverse population • Implementation over a semester-long period of time • Surveys administered to students, parents, and classroom teachers • Electronic family message journals analyzed for themes and trends

13. Student Survey Results

14. Themes in Free Response Items • Students viewed writing in the FMJs as “texting” their families and thought that writing electronically was “fun” • Students were frustrated with technical kinds of issues such as logging in/out, inability to play games, not being able to choose writing (font) • “That we hold [sic] to have long user names and if you mest [sic] up one bit you coudn’t [sic] get in.” • Conversely, students learned that they could change font colors, highlight, and use other font features • Most students wanted to continue to write electronically to their families; some did not • “…I do not like it very much it is a little boring to me but for about 45% I like it.”

15. Sample Entries: Ellie Dear Mom, 1-22-13 Yes I am ready for the weekend. I think Chase will eat his cake. I am almost finished with Little House In The Big Woods. I am also reading Ittle House On The Prairie to the class. When you are done eating with Izzie on Thursday will you give me a hug? I am going to try to read all of the Laura Ingalls books. I hope you have a good day. Love Ellie

16. Ellie’s Mom Dear Ellie, I love how you have such a love for reading. I remember reading some of the Little House on the Prairie books when I was younger. I also watched it on TV after school! They are good books with a great message. I won't be able to eat with Izzie on Thursday since I had to stay home from work on Wednesday with him. It will be a couple weeks before I can eat with him because I have a meeting at work on my next day off. Have a good time at piano lessons after school. You sound great, keep up the hard work! I had a wonderful evening with you and the rest of the family. It was nice not having to be anywhere but home :) I love you. Hugs and Kisses, Mom

17. Ellie Dear Mom, I think I will ha e a good time at piano with Kat. I am Exited to get my new piano books. When I get my bookshelf I want to get all of the Little House On The Praire books! what time will you get home on Thursday? In Science we are making an Expeiriment about Matter and Mass. When can Maddie come over?I hope she can come over soon! Love Ellie

18. Tanya’s Classroom • Three of the families spoke Spanish in the home • Children were not fluent in reading Spanish • Used Google Translate • Became a teachable moment

19. Xavier Dear Mama,  1-17-13 Isn't this cool? I get to write you on the computer. Are you going to write me back? I hope so because I like this a lot!!! The teacher said we have 3 days off this weekend, but she said we have to read, read, read. Today we read a funny story about a dog kinda like Sargent. He got in lots of trouble too. I hope you have a good day. Your son, Xavier

20. Xavier’s Mom Dear Xavier, I am so glad that you like to write letters to me on the computer. I know that you get upset sometimes writing in your journal at night because it can take a long time and hurts your hand. Maybe we can start to type some of the stories you think up in your head and email them to your teacher. She would like that. I bet you could think of some funny stories to tell about Sargent. Maybe this weekend we can look for a book about dogs so you can read, read, read, like your teacher said. See you tonight! Love,Mom

21. Jessica’s Classroom I have noticed a better response from the students when implementing a writing project through technology. They want to do it all of the time and seem to put a lot more work into their writing. They also seem to be more excited about writing. I don’t think that they see this as actually writing, but rather using the iPads.

22. Grace’s Classroom The students have really enjoyed working on the computer. They feel like they are “big kids.” They see themselves working in an adult world doing important things. Because we began this project at the beginning of the spring semester, the students have had a chance to become more phonologically mature. They know how to spell more words, and how to use their student dictionaries. They also feel much more secure sounding out words.

23. Again, Grace I am loving the journals. I think this is an empowering project for my students. They feel like what they are doing is important, and they are becoming good problem solvers. I have a couple of students who are our “experts.” They understand where to put the cursor and are able to help the students who are having trouble.

24. References Burns, M.S. & Casbergue, R. (1992). Parent-child interaction in a letter-writing context. Journal of Reading Behavior, 24(3), 289-312. Calkins, L. (1994). The art of teaching writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Dudley-Marling, C. & Paugh, P. (2004). Tapping the power of student voice. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 20, 385-399. Fletcher, R. (2006). Boy writers: Reclaiming their voices. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Fletcher, R. & Portalupi, J.A. (2001). Writing workshop: The essential guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Hansen, J. (2007). First-grade children revisit their writing. Young Children, 62(1), 28-33. Lane, B. (1993). After the end: Teaching and learning creative revision. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Larson, L. & Miller, T. N. (2011). 21st Century skills: Prepare students for the future. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 121-123. Love, A., Burns, M.S., & Buell, M.J. (2007). Writing: Empowering literacy. Young Children, 62(1), 12-19. Moore, R. A. (Spring, 2004). Reclaiming the power: Literate identities of students and teachers. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 20, 337-342. Moore, R. A. & Seeger, V. (accepted for publication, 2009). Dear sincerely: Exploring literate identities with young children and preservice teachers through letter writing. Literacy Research and Instruction. Novinger, S. (2003). I want her to know me: The ways adults position young children. Language Arts, 80(6), 425-34. Olshansky, B. (2006). Artists/writers workshop: Focusing in on the art of writing. Language Arts, 83(6), 530-533. Seeger, V. & Johnson, R. (in press). Implementing electronic family message journals in elementary classrooms. In T. Rasinski (Ed.) Technology and Writing: New Approaches to Literacy Competency. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Watson, D. (1996). Bringing together reading and writing. In S. Wilde (Ed.) Makinga difference: Selected writings of Dorothy Watson (pp. 132-146). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Wollman-Bonilla, J. (2000). Family message journals: Teaching writing through family involvement. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.