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Prewriting is the first step in the writing process and is especially crucial for students with disabilities. This stage involves brainstorming ideas, discussing topics, and organizing thoughts before writing.

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Utilize graphic organizers, mind maps, and worksheets tailored to the needs of students with disabilities to help them organize their thoughts efficiently.

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Browse pre writing graphic organizer resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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During the drafting stage, students start putting their ideas into sentences and paragraphs. They should focus on getting their thoughts down on paper without worrying about spelling or grammar at this point.

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Encourage students with disabilities to express their ideas freely, reminding them that it's okay to make mistakes during this stage.

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You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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Find out how to help your students improve their writing through activities and tools that support the drafting stage. Show your students how to use technology tools to create, revise, and store their drafts in a digital writing portfolio.

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Revising involves reviewing the draft to improve its content and structure. Students with disabilities should be given clear, individualized feedback to help them understand areas for improvement.

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Organize peer review sessions where students can give and receive feedback on each other's work.

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Why Use Peer Review?

Peer assessment, or review, can improve overall learning by helping students become better readers, writers, and collaborators. A well-designed peer review program also develops students' evaluation and assessment skills. The following are a few techniques that instructors have used to implement peer review.

Planning for Peer Review

Identify where you can incorporate peer review exercises into your course.

For peer review on written assignments, design guidelines that specify clearly defined tasks for the reviewer. Consider what feedback students can competently provide.

Determine whether peer review activities will be conducted as in-class or out-of-class assignments (or as a combination of both).

Plan for in-class peer reviews to last at least one class session. More time will be needed for longer papers and papers written in foreign languages.

Model appropriate constructive criticism and descriptive feedback through the comments you provide on papers and in class.

Explain the reasons for peer review, the benefits it provides, and how it supports course learning outcomes.

Set clear expectations: determine whether students will receive grades on their contributions to peer review sessions. If grades are given, be clear about what you are assessing, what criteria will be used for grading, and how the peer review score will be incorporated into their overall course grade.

Quick Keys to Successful Peer Review

Identify and teach the skills needed for peer review. Encourage students to respond as a peer, not as a teacher.

Present peer review as an opportunity for students to receive extensive feedback on their work.

Explicitly link peer review with the course learning outcomes (what you want students to know, value, or do). For example, "At the end of this course, you will be able to effectively assess the strengths and weaknesses of peer papers and make concrete suggestions for improvement."

Before the First Peer Review Session

Give students a sample paper to review and comment on in class using the peer review guidelines. Ask students to share feedback and help them rephrase their comments to make them more specific and constructive, as needed.

Consider using the sample paper exercise to teach students how to think about, respond to, and use comments by peer reviewers to improve their writing.

Ask for input from students on the peer review worksheet or co-create a rubric in class.

Prevent overly harsh peer criticism by instructing students to provide feedback as if they were speaking to the writer or presenter directly.

Consider how you will assign students to groups. Do you want them to work together for the entire semester, or change for different assignments? Do you want peer reviewers to remain anonymous? How many reviews will each assignment receive?

During and After Peer Review Sessions

Give clear directions and time limits for in-class peer review sessions and set defined deadlines for out-of-class peer review assignments.

Listen to group discussions and provide guidance and input when necessary.

Consider requiring students to write a plan for revision indicating the changes they intend to make on the paper and explaining why they have chosen to acknowledge or disregard specific comments and suggestions. For exams and presentations, have students write about how they would approach the task next time based on the peer comments.

Ask students to submit the peer feedback they received with their final papers. Make clear whether or not you will be taking this feedback into account when grading the paper, or when assigning a participation grade to the student reviewer.

Consider having students assess the quality of the feedback they received.

Discuss the process in class, addressing problems that were encountered and what was learned.

Examples of Peer Review Activities

After collection, redistribute papers randomly along with a grading rubric. After students have evaluated the papers ask them to exchange with a neighbor, evaluate the new paper, and then compare notes.

After completing an exam, have students compare and discuss answers with a partner. You may offer them the opportunity to submit a new answer, dividing points between the two.

In a small class, ask students to bring one copy of their paper with their name on it and one or two copies without a name. Collect the "name" copy and redistribute the others for peer review. Provide feedback on all student papers. Collect the peer reviews and return papers to their authors.

For group presentations, require the class to evaluate the group's performance using a predetermined marking scheme.

When working on group projects, have students evaluate each group member's contribution to the project on a scale of 1-10. Require students to provide rationale for how and why they awarded points.

Peer Review Technology Tools

PeerMark

Best used for providing feedback (formative assessment), PeerMark is a peer review program that encourages students to evaluate each other's work. Students comment on assigned papers and answer scaled and free-form questions designed by the instructor. PeerMark does not allow you to assign point values or assign and export grades.

Contact the Center for a consultation on using these peer assessment tools.

References

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Teaching Students to Evaluate Each Other

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Peer assessment, or review, can improve overall learning by helping students become better readers, writers, and collaborators. A well-designed peer review program also develops students' evaluation and assessment skills. The following are a few techniques that instructors have used to implement peer review. Identify where you can incorporate peer review exercises into your course.

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Editing requires students to correct grammatical errors and improve sentence structure. This step is essential for creating a polished piece of writing, especially for students with disabilities.

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Provide tools such as spell checkers, grammar checkers, and assistive technology to support students during the editing phase.

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Assistive technology (AT) can help kids with different types of writing challenges. AT tools can make the physical act of writing easier, as well as help kids who have trouble with spelling and grammar, and with organizing and expressing their thoughts. This guide provides an introduction to AT writing tools and where to find them.

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Publishing allows students to share their final pieces with an audience. This could involve creating a classroom book, presenting their work on a bulletin board, or sharing it digitally.

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Use digital platforms to publish students' work, making it accessible to a broader audience. This can be very motivating for students with disabilities.

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Publishing Opportunities for Students | Common Sense Education

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Publishing Opportunities for Students is a list of 18 apps, games, and websites curated by Common Sense Education editors.

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Reflection is crucial for students to understand what they have learned and how they can improve. Encourage students with disabilities to think about what worked well for them and what didn’t.

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Encourage students to keep a journal where they can reflect on their writing process and progress. This helps in personal growth and self-awareness.

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Journaling Techniques
Here's how to keep a reflective journal to deepen your self-awareness by examining your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Keeping a reflective journal is a way to deepen your self-awareness by regularly examining your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in a structured and intentional way. By taking time to reflect on your experiences and record your thoughts and feelings in a journal, you can gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your reactions to the world around you.

In this post, we'll cover the benefits of reflective journaling, some tips for getting started, and some prompts and ideas to guide your reflection journal writing.

What is Reflective Journaling?

Reflective journaling is a process of recording and analyzing personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings in your journal. A reflective journal can serve as a tool for self-exploration, helping you to uncover insights into your own motivations, values, and beliefs that may be hidden beneath the surface of your conscious awareness.

Reflective journaling can take many forms, such as writing down observations about one's day, describing emotions and reactions to events, analyzing one's behaviors and motivations, or exploring personal values and beliefs. Reflective journaling allows you to engage in a process of ongoing self-reflection and self-discovery that can support your personal and professional growth, deepen your relationships with others, and help you live a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Why Start a Reflective Journal? 10 Key Benefits

The purpose of reflective journaling goes beyond merely recording daily events; it encompasses the exploration of emotions, challenges, successes, and insights that arise from our interactions with the world around us. The purpose of reflective journaling is multifaceted and offers numerous journaling benefits, including:

1. Improve self-awareness

Reflection can help you gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This increased self-awareness can lead to greater clarity about your needs, values, and goals.

2. Enhance learning

Reflection allows you to process and integrate your experiences, which can deepen your learning and understanding of new information or skills.

3. Improve decision-making skills

Reflective journaling can help you identify patterns and themes in your experiences, which can inform your decision-making and lead to more effective choices.

4. Increase empathy

Keeping a reflective journal can promote greater understanding and empathy for others, as you gain insights into your thought processes and emotional responses.

5. Develop emotional Intelligence

Engaging in reflective journaling can significantly contribute to the development of emotional intelligence. By examining and understanding your emotions, you become better equipped to manage and regulate them effectively.

6. Reduce stress

Reflection journaling can be a helpful tool for managing stress, as it allows you to process your emotions and identify strategies for coping with difficult situations.

7. Facilitate personal growth

A reflective journal can be a catalyst for personal growth and development, as you identify areas for improvement and take steps to make positive changes in your lives.

8. Strengthen memory

Reflective journaling can serve as an effective tool for improving memory by encouraging you to actively recall and process daily experiences, events, and information. By regularly writing about your thoughts, emotions, and learnings, you reinforce neural pathways in the brain, making it easier to store and retrieve memories.

9. Foster mindfulness in everyday life

Reflective journaling encourages you to be fully present and engaged in the moment, promoting mindfulness and a deeper appreciation for daily experiences.

10. Gain a deeper sense of meaning

Reflecting on your life and your experiences can help bring a sense of fulfillment and purpose. The process of self-exploration and reflection can help you develop a greater sense of clarity and direction, and become more intentional about your actions and decisions.

What to Write About in A Reflective Journal: Inspiration and Ideas

If you're just getting started with keeping a reflective journal, you may find yourself staring at an empty page. In a reflective journal, you can write about a wide range of topics, including your thoughts, emotions, goals, challenges, successes, fears, values, and beliefs. You can also reflect on your interactions with others, your relationships, and your personal and professional development.

Here are a few ideas for what to write about in your reflective journal:

Thoughts

Emotions and Feelings

Daily Experiences

Memories

Behaviors

Personal Values and Beliefs

Reflective journaling offers a chance to clearly identify what you value and what you belief. Reflecting on your personal values and beliefs can help you identify what is truly important to you, and align your actions and decisions with your authentic self. Writing about your personal values and beliefs can also help you navigate challenging situations or decisions, by providing a clear framework for making choices that align with your core principles.

Goals and Aspirations

Gratitude

20 Reflective Journal Prompts

Answering journal prompts can be a great way to deepen your reflective journaling practice. Journal prompts can help guide you into a reflective mood so you can think more deeply about your experiences.

Here are 20 reflective journal prompts to guide your writing and deepen your self-reflection:

1. What has been on my mind lately?

2. What is a repetitive thought I've been having?

3. How am I feeling right now?

4. What emotion did I experience today?

5. What triggered this emotion?

6. How did I respond to this emotion?

7. What happened today?

8. What did I think and feel in response to something that happened today?

9. What did I learn today?

10. What challenged me today?

11. What did I enjoy about today?

12. What was something significant that has happened lately?

13. What random memory comes to mind right now?

14. What is one happy memory I have?

15. What have I been struggling with lately?

16. What do I need more of in my life?

17. What are my values?

18. What have I learned about myself?

19. What are my goals right now?

20. What am I grateful for today?

Reflective Journal Example

This reflective journal example aims to demonstrate how to practice self-reflection, as well as to inspire you to start your own reflective journal.

Date: May 4, 2023

Wrapping Up: Your Journey, Your Reflective Journal

The practice of reflective journaling offers a wealth of benefits, from enhancing self-awareness to nurturing personal growth. By dedicating time to explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences, you create a deeper connection with your inner self and foster a better understanding of your life's journey. As you embark on this transformative practice, allow yourself the freedom to discover and express your authentic self, and remember that the key to growth lies in the consistent and honest exploration of your inner world. Embrace the power of reflective journaling as you discover new insights about yourself and your life. Happy journaling!

About the Author

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Reflective Journal: Inspiration, Ideas, and Prompts

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Here's how to keep a reflective journal to deepen your self-awareness by regularly examining your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

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Celebrating achievements encourages students and builds their confidence. Recognize and celebrate the efforts and progress made by students with disabilities.

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Organize events or give out certificates to celebrate students' accomplishments in writing. This can be a very validating experience for students with disabilities.

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The Student Achievement Awards is an annual event that recognizes individuals and groups who have made contributions to University of Idaho campus and community life.

Each spring, more than 50 undergraduate students are recognized. There are also categories for student organizations, staff and faculty. All student categories come with monetary awards, and more than $10,000 is awarded each year. Winners and nominators of winners will be sent an invitation by email.
Student Achievement Awards nominations are open and the deadline to submit materials is at 4:45 p.m. on March 8.

Tips on Best Practices in Applying for the Student Achievement Awards

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The Student Achievement Awards is an annual event that recognizes individuals and groups who have made contributions to the U of I campus and community life.