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Have you ever written a journal in English or thought about trying it? In today’s post, we’re going to explore what a journal is and how it can help you with your English. What is a journal? A journal is usually a notebook where you write daily or regularly. There are also journal apps which allow you to type your entries (such as Day One, Penzu and Journey). There are even apps which make it possible to write on your iPad with your Apple pencil! There are different kinds of journal. You could use a journal simply to write about your day, what you did and what happened. It can be fun or interesting to look back on old entries and remember past events. Sometimes this is called a diary. Nowadays, people often use the word “journalling” (UK: journalling, USA: journaling) to mean writing about their thoughts and feelings. This might not appeal to everyone but some people find it very helpful. There are many other kinds of journal though. Some teachers journal about their lessons, what went well and what they could do better next time. Some language students write about their learning experiences and track their progress. Other types include reading journals, prayer journals, gratitude journals, travel journals and dream journals. Pen or app? Many people recommend using pen and paper rather than a phone or computer to journal. Scientific research has shown that writing the old-fashioned way makes you slow down and connect to what you are writing. They are talking about the psychological benefits but I think using a pen and paper is good for language learning too. Writing new words and sentences with a pen helps you to remember them better. (Plus you can play with different coloured pens and draw pictures if you want to!!) On the other hand, an app on your phone can have advantages. If you’re busy, an app can help you fit journaling into your day because you always have your phone with you. For example, you can journal while you’re on the train going to work. Another advantage is that you can edit what you write easily and correct your sentences. Also, some apps give you daily writing prompts as well, which is good if you are looking for ideas. And some allow you to include photos. How does it help me with my English? Obviously, writing often will help you to improve your writing skills but it can also help you with your speaking. Writing is similar to speaking in some ways because both skills involve trying to put words and grammar together to make sentences. I often recommend writing practice to people who say they don’t have anybody to speak English with. Writing is a bit like speaking in slow motion! When you speak, you don’t have much time to think about what you want to say and find the best way to say it, but when you write, you can take as much time as you need. You can use a dictionary to find new words. You can look up grammar rules that you’re not sure about. Sometimes people think there’s no point in writing (or speaking) on your own because there’s nobody to correct your mistakes. Of course, it helps if you have a teacher or a friend to correct your English but you can still learn a lot on your own. You can even go back and look at your earlier writing and correct your own mistakes. When I was younger, I had piano lessons and between lessons, I practised on my own. Now I practise without a teacher. If you play the piano every day, you’ll get better at playing the piano. Similarly, if you practise using your English every day, you’ll get better at it, even if you do it on your own. What other benefits are there? Journalling can be good for your mental health. Writing about your day and your feelings is like a kind of therapy. It’s a way to help you understand your emotions and experiences and to understand yourself better. It can also reduce your stress levels. I guess it’s a bit like talking to a friend and feeling better afterwards. It’s not good to keep negative feelings inside and writing it all out on paper helps some people. If you write a learning journal, this can help you to feel more positive about your English and your progress too. What can I write about? There are no rules! You can write anything you want! But let me give you a few ideas. I mentioned at the beginning that there are different kinds of journal. You could choose one type or choose your own combination of different types. Daily events journal You could simply write about your day. This is a good way for beginners to start. You could even just write one sentence a day at first and then write more as your English improves. If you’re too busy, then do it at the weekend and write about your week. Journal prompts If you put “journal prompts” into Google, you will find so many different websites with ideas of things to write about. You can choose a different prompt each day. Here are some common suggestions:
Put “journal prompts” or “journals prompts for ESL students” into Google to find more. Learning journal This kind of journal is about your experiences with learning English. Here are some things you could write about:
But remember, there are no rules and you can mix up all of these ideas if you want to! Happy writing! If you would like to get more tips for learning English like sent to your email inbox, you can sign up for my free newsletters here:  Comments are closed.
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