Science of Reading

Have you ever wanted to start writing your own journal? Or maybe you already have one? Regardless, this post will give you some tips on how to start (or continue) your very own journal. But first, why should you write a journal?

Why Write a Journal?

Writing journals can be very useful! Regardless of the topic, journal writing helps with writing and communication skills. Looking back on your journal entries after a while is one way you can see how you have progressed (Hipple, 1985). In fact, journal writing could be more effective in helping you learn a language than lessons where your teacher is leading you (Haley-James, 1982).

Furthermore, journal writing can allow you to process and understand your emotions (Hipple, 1985). By writing about what makes you happy, sad, angry, or scared, your journal becomes a safe space for you to let out your emotions, learn more about yourself and how to deal with these big feelings (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Learning about emotions for kids (Splash Learn, 2023)

When you dedicate a fixed time to write in your journal, it becomes a fun activity you can look forward to (Hipple, 1985). It is your time and place to be creative and free. Over time, journaling can help you become a more confident person (Jones & East, 2010)!

How to Write a Journal

1. Make journaling fun for yourself. Sit in your favourite chair, get a notebook that you like, use your favourite colour pencil, and paste fun stickers in your journal to make journaling a fun experience!
2. The most important thing to remember when you start your journal is that nothing will be marked as correct or wrong. It is your space to create anything you like. (Yes, this means you can invent your own grammar and spelling rules if you like!) This is because the purpose of your journal is to express your ideas and feelings, so the focus should be on expressing yourself rather than how neatly you write or how structured your sentences are. 

3. Follow your own style. Your journal entries do not have to follow any fixed template or instructions if you do not want to. You can write in any style you like, whether it be drawings, writing in sentences, writing a poem, or even a combination (Figure 2).
4. If you find it difficult to start, follow a template. For example, you can begin by deciding on what topic you wish to write about, such as a family member or friend, or about what happened today at home or in school. If you still feel stuck, you could find a notebook with a template, such as one of these:

 

Figure 2. Example of Journal Writing. (Taylor, 2023)

Figure 3. Example of a writing template. (Sunny Day Family, 2020)

Figure 4. Example of a writing template. (Evans, n.d.)

Conclusion

I hope you are excited to start writing your very own journal! Get a notebook and a pencil (or pen, colour pencil, or marker), and start writing today. Remember, everything you want to write is valuable, and there is no right or wrong for writing in your journal. Have fun!

References

Evans, S. (n.d.). February writing journal prompts for kids. Fantastic fun and learning. https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/february-writing-journal-prompts-kids.html

Haley-James, S. M. (1982). When are children ready to write? Language Arts, 59(5), 312-319. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41404044

Hipple, M. L. (1985). Journal writing in kindergarten. Language Arts, 62(3), 255-261. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41405609

Jones, J., & East, J. (2010). Empowering primary writers through daily journal writing. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24(2), 112-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568541003635151

Splash Learn. (2023, November 15). 10 best emotional regulation activities for kids. https://www.splashlearn.com/blog/emotional-regulation-activities-for-kids/

Sunny Day Family. (2020, March 24). Free printable daily writing journal for kids. https://www.sunnydayfamily.com/2020/03/daily-writing-journal-for-kids.html

Taylor, M. (2023, February 16). Encourage kids to write a journal (+ideas to get started). Imagination soup. https://imaginationsoup.net/encourage-kids-start-writing-journal-how-start/

Written by: Claire

Edited by: Serena and Michelle

What comes to mind when we think of a library? A building or room filled with shelves of books? A place where people go to when they want to read? Over the years, new libraries have been built across Singapore, alongside others that were revamped to provide better quality books and environments for library users (Ho, 2020). Libraries in Singapore house more than just reading materials and are now places that draw the community together. We recommend the following three libraries (in no particular order) for children and teenagers. 

1. Library@Harbourfront 

  Photograph of Library@Harbourfront’s Tinker Truck (National Library Board, n.d.). 

Located in VivoCity Mall, Library@Harbourfront offers more than 200,000 books and other educational materials (HoneyKids Asia, 2023). This is a coastal-themed library that spans 3000 square meters – making it the largest shopping mall library in the country! Library@Harbourfront has a remarkable Children’s Zone with novel activities for children to explore – Augmented Reality books covering topics such as Space and Animals are also available here and can create an interesting immersive reading experience for young children (Cheekiemonkies, 2019). Aside from reading, children can head to Tinker Truck children’s maker space and engage in DIY crafting activities or play word puzzles (HoneyKids Asia, 2023). Finally, the library’s main attraction is the serene view of Sentosa and the sea which library users can admire while reading. 

Photograph of the view of Sentosa and the sea that Library@Harbourfront offers (Cheekiemonkies, 2019). 

2. Jurong Regional Library 

Photograph of Jurong Regional Library’s Early Literacy Library (National Library Board, n.d.). 

Located in the West of Singapore, Jurong Regional Library is a spot worth visiting for many. This library offers Singapore’s first library service dedicated to teenagers–Verging All Teens, which was founded by teenagers to inspire their peers (HoneyKids Asia, 2023). It offers a vast selection of comics and graphic novels and provides opportunities for teenagers to participate in drama performances and more. For younger children, they can explore the Early Literacy Library which has many amazing child-friendly books available in Singapore’s four official languages.  

3. Punggol Regional Library 

 Photograph of Punggol Regional Library’s Spark!LabTM (National Library Board, n.d.). 

Punggol Regional Library is Singapore’s newest library that fully opened in April 2023. It is a well-equipped, child-friendly reading venue designed for the young ones to explore and satisfy their curiosity. This library has a unique section known as the “World and Us Zone”, which hosts a collection of books from around the world, including ones that were donated by foreign embassies (National Library Board, 2023). Children aged 7 to 12 can also visit Spark!LabTM, which was set up in collaboration with Smithsonian Institution from the United States of America (National Library Board, 2023). Here, children can work with their parents, or independently, to formulate creative solutions addressing hands-on problems. Another valuable feature of Punggol Regional Library is TinkerTots, which caters for children aged 6 years and below. In this section, children can play with educational toys, such as puppets and costumes while discovering more about the world through simple activities (National Library Board, 2023; Teo, 2023).  

Libraries provide a good variety of reading resources that are free to borrow and read at your child’s own pace either in the library or at home. If you are not able to visit the library, the National Library Board (NLB) Singapore allows users to access over two million eBooks that are free to download (HoneyKids Asia, 2023). Check out the eBooks here. Alternatively, you can also check out the NLB Mobile application. While these online platforms provide a good amount of resources conveniently, a greater variety of reading materials and activities await you and your child at the libraries! Visit the NLB website to find your nearest library and their upcoming events for the June Holidays. 

 

References 

Cheekiemonkies. (2019, January 6). Kids will love the Interactive Room while Parents will look the sea views at library@harbourfront! CheekieMonkies. https://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2019/01/library-at-harbourfront-vivocity-review.html 

HoneyKids Asia. (2023, February 1). The best libraries for kids in Singapore: our favourite public libraries for all ages. HoneyKids Asia. https://honeykidsasia.com/the-best-libraries-for-kids-in-singapore/ 

Olivia, H. (2020, March 3). Parliament: NLB to revamp 8 libraries, including Central, and open new Punggol Regional Library. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nlb-to-revamp-8-libraries-including-central-and-open-new-punggol-regional-library 

[Photograph of Jurong Regional Library’s Early Literacy Library]. (n.d.). https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/visit-us/our-libraries-and-locations/libraries/jurong-regional-library  

[Photograph of Library@Harboufront’s Tinker Truck]. (n.d.). https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/visit-us/our-libraries-and-locations/libraries/library-harbourfront  

[Photograph of Punggol Regional Library’s Spark!LabTM]. (n.d.). https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/visit-us/our-libraries-and-locations/libraries/punggol-regional-library/library-services  

[Photograph of the view of Sentosa and the sea that Library@Harboufront offers]. (n.d.). https://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2019/01/library-at-harbourfront-vivocity-review.html  

Punggol Regional Library Opens First Two Floors for Children to Read and Learn in New and Fun Ways. (2023, January 30). National Library Board. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/about-us/press-room-and-publications/media-releases/2023/Punggol-Regional-Library-Opens-First-Two-Floors-for-Children-to-Read-and-Learn-in-New-and-Fun-Ways 

Teo, J. (2023, January 31). New Punggol library encourages tinkering and storytelling, including for children with disabilities. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-punggol-library-encourages-tinkering-and-storytelling-including-for-children-with-disabilities 

 

Drafted by: Kah Xuan

Edited by: Michelle, Phoebe

Reviewed by: Joyce