Perry Winston O. Latombo (Author)
Abstract
This classroom-based action research examined the effectiveness of reflective journal writing in improving the writing skills of Grade 10 students. The study was conducted among 55 students in an English 10 class during the third quarter of School Year 2024–2025. The main objectives were to determine whether reflective journaling enhances writing performance, motivation, and critical thinking skills. The intervention involved a self-conceptualized weekly reflective journal that included self-assessment exercises, quotations for reflection, and open writing prompts. A pre-test and post-test were administered to measure progress using the Six Subgroup Quality Scale (Ransdell & Levy, 1996), which evaluates writing in terms of technical quality, content, purpose and audience, organization, and style. Results showed a significant improvement in students’ writing performance and motivation. Students demonstrated better organization of ideas, richer vocabulary, and greater confidence in expressing opinions. The findings suggest that reflective journal writing is an effective pedagogical tool to develop students’ writing proficiency and metacognitive awareness.
Keywords: reflective journal, writing skills, student motivation, action research, English learning
DOI: http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0404514
Recommended citation:
Latombo, P. W. O. (2025). Using reflective journals in improving students’ writing skills. Pantao (The International Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences) 4 (4), 5573-5577. http://doi.org/10.69651/PIJHSS0404514
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