Keeping a daily language learning journal

One of the most valuable things you can do in your language learning program is to keep a journal. Some of you have never kept a journal and do not want to start now. It is up to you, but why not give it a try?

Here are some benefits of keeping a journal:

• It serves as a record of your first impressions of the country and culture. As you go around the community you will be seeing it with fresh eyes. Later on, everything will become familiar and you will not even notice some things. It is both interesting and valuable to record what you saw and felt when you were just becoming acquainted with the language and culture.
• You keep track of what you do every day as you use the language in both structured and unstructured settings. This is helpful when you evaluate your program and see what changes you should make, if any.
• You record how you feel about what you do every day. The whole area of feelings is very important to language learning success. You might find it helpful to check your attitudes by taking the Attitudes questionnaire. Writing your negative emotions can help you determine what is causing them and can help you resolve the problems. Writing positive emotions can encourage you and keep you going.

• If you are using a notebook, number the pages and date every entry.
• If you are using a word processing program on your computer, set up the document so that you number and date every entry.
• In your journal record what you do every day, both in formal and informal settings. Put in as much detail as you can.
• Write how you feel about what is happening, especially noting particularly positive or negative emotions.

• Task module: Keeping a daily language learning journal
• In task module: Monitoring the language learning process
• In task module: How to manage your language learning program
• In modular book: Managing Your Language Learning Program, by Carol J. Orwig
• In bookshelf: Language Learning

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 3.5, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 17 September 1998

© 1999 SIL International