implementation that build students’ perceptions. Those are 1 how the teacher teaches the students, 2 what the teacher wants students to learn, 3 how the
students learn in class, 4 what the students learn, and 5 what the purposes of learning the language are.
According to Vygotsky 1978: 33, perception of someone is always changing. It means that he can make changes in his behaviors overtime through its
process. For example, at first a student does not like English subject because he considers it as a difficult subject. However, after he finds some interesting
activities that he likes, he then changes his perception about English subject. This perception is influenced by those five elements.
2. Dialogue Journals in Educational Context
This part presents the review of literature about definition of dialogue journals and the implementation of dialogue journals in educational context.
Definition of dialogue journals explains about what dialogue journals are. The implementation of dialogue journals in educational context describe the
background on the use of dialogue journals in education field.
a. Definition of Dialogue Journals
“Dialogue journal is a log of one’s thoughts, feelings, reaction, assessments, ideas, or progress” Brown, 2004: 269. According to Peyton 1993
as cited in http:www.cal.orgresourcesDigestpeyton01.html, dialogue journal is a written conversation in which a student and teacher communicate regularly that
can be conducted daily, weekly, or depending on the educational setting. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Dialogue journal is an open-ended journal which allows students write anything covering reflection, comments, and even questions and the teacher writes back
regularly, responding to students’ comment and questions Peyton, 1993 and Brown, 2004: 270. Szeto 2009 as cited in http:classroom-
activities.suite101.comarticle.cfmdialogue_journals_help_improve_writing adds that dialogue journals are interactive writing which provides students the
opportunity to improve their writing skills and give students freedom to choose their own topics. Szeto also explains that dialogue journals provide a place for the
teacher to respond privately to questions and comments from the students. In this place, teacher can include motivation words to give students reinforcement.
Staton 1987 as cited in http:www.ericdigest.orgpre-926journals.htm states that “a dialogue journal is a bound composition book in which each student carries
on a private written conversation with the teacher for an extended period of time.” Though dialogue journals is one of the alternative assessments that is tightly
related to evaluation, Staton argues that dialogue journals are functional and interactive that are mostly about self-generated topics about the continuing life of
the classroom.
b. The Implementation of Dialogue Journals in Educational Context
According to Brown 2004: 206, in the past, journals had no place in the second language classroom but today, “journals occupy a prominent role in a
pedagogical model that stresses the importance of self-reflection in the process of students in learning”. Brown argues that through dialogue journals, “teacher can
become better acquainted with their students, in terms of both their learning progress and their affective states, and thus become better equipped to meet
students’ individual needs”. Furthermore, Staton 1987 as cited in http:www.ericdigest.orgpre-926journals.htm adds that dialogue journals are
developed over years to meet several needs which are to know students better, to obtain feedback on lessons, to improve classroom discipline, and to involve each
student in meaningful reading and writing. In the dialogue journal, students are also required to monitor and evaluate
their understanding. In other words, it involves students’ self-assessment. Many researchers state that self-assessment encourages students’ motivation and
promotes their autonomy and independent learning skills even self-assessment is the best formative assessment and the most rewarded among other assessments
Brown, 2004: 276. This idea is supported by Bartelo, Birkitt, and Davis 1990: 3, who state that dialogue journals make students have “response ability” to the
teaching situation and responsibility about their progress of learning. Staton 1987 also agrees that dialogue journals help students to learn how to manage
their own actions. It can be said that dialogue journals reflect reflective learning. According to Peyton 1993, the use of dialogue journal in the classroom
becomes a bridge of communication between a teacher and students especially students who learn English as a second language.
Dialogue journals not only open a new channel of communication, but they provide another context for language and literacy development.
Students have the opportunity to use English in a non-threatening atmosphere, in interaction with a proficient English speaker. Because the
interaction is written, it allows students to use reading and writing in PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
purposeful ways and provides a natural, comfortable bridge to other kinds of writing. Peyton, 1993 as cited in
http:www.cal.orgresourcesDigestpeyton01.html
It explains that dialogue journals become media between teacher and students in building communication in the classroom. The implementation of dialogue
journals is not included in the core of teaching-learning activities, yet they support the learning process. Staton 1987 clarifies that dialogue journals create a one-to
one relationship between students and teacher in both academic and personal sides. Through the journals, teachers may discuss about the students’ culture and
language, problem adjusting to the new culture, school procedures, and personal interests Peyton, 1993. It means that dialogue journals allow students to write
any kinds of topic to share to their teacher. Peyton also adds that the focus of dialogue journal is on meaning of the writing rather than the form. Therefore, a
teacher will not correct his students’ writing but try to obtain the message of the writing.
3. The Importance of Communication in Learning Process
