Dialogue journals serve as conversations between teacher and student and provide a student-centered, communicative activity in which literacy skills can develop naturally. Students write as much as they choose about any topic, and the teacher responds as a co-participant in an ongoing, written conversation. The journals can be adapted to a variety of learning situations and learner needs, and they can be used effectively with students at all levels from beginning literacy to high proficiency. The dialogue journal interaction has many of the features found in conversations with children learning a first language and in conversations between second language learners and native speakers in an informal context. It focuses on real topics, and on meaning rather than form; it is a reading and writing event; the dialogue moves naturally from familiar to unfamiliar material; the use of grammatical forms and structures evolves naturally; and correction of student errors can take the form of modeling rather than overt criticism. At the lower proficiency levels, students can begin communication with pictures and let verbal communication develop when they are ready. Dialogue journals can also be used in pre-employment training and cultural orientation classes to encourage discussion. The key concept is genuine interaction between the student and someone with whom he or she wants to communicate. (MSE)