At the beginning of a class session, the teacher can have students purchase a composition notebook in which to write their entries, and distribute the journal assignment at the beginning of the second week of class. Waiting at least a week before beginning the journals gives the teacher the opportunity to build rapport with the class and help students feel more at ease. When journals are collected each week, the teacher is to write a response to what the students wrote with comments, questions, and suggestions for future topics.
This activity helps teachers get to know their students and understand their learning needs, and it provides a safe outlet for students to use their English. Teachers can expand error correction to suit their needs, but I have found it most helpful to only underline errors from known trouble areas and show the students the correct form within the response.