Language Learning Journal

When do you write outside the classroom?  Writing is an essential part of learning a language.  Writing is difficult, but writing gets easier when you write regularly (almost every day).

What is journal writing? Have a conversation with yourself on paper (or on the computer, or on your phone). Ask yourself questions.  Write the question and try to answer it.  The goal is to think as you write.  Write your thoughts, questions, confusions, frustrations, and accomplishments.  The goal is not to write something perfect.  This will be different from something you write to your boss or your school teacher. Your writing does not have to be error free to transform your experiences into lines of words.

Why keep a language journal? (The verb keep here means to maintain, keep a record, keep a log)

Here is a quote from an ESL student on keeping a journal: ”At the beginning, I was very skeptical and worried, finding hundred reasons it would be difficult. … By opening the journal and starting to write on a topic before prior thinking on what to write, I realized I would come up with some really good thoughts and observations of issues. So it helped us not in just improving our performance in written English, but also in training us to think, to reflect on issues, to think of the problems and try to find solutions. … (Arita, Kosovo)


Here are some questions you can use for your entries.

1. What did I learn today?
2. What am I confused about?
3. What is difficult for me?
4. How can I get help?
5. How do I feel?
6. How did I study? Was this helpful?
7. What did I read, listen to, or watch?
8. What do I want to ask in class?

Directions:
1. Buy a notebook you can carry everywhere.  It should fit into your pocket or purse.  (If you have a smart-phone, you can use this too.)  Write on the subway.  Write when you’re waiting on line.

2. You can write your journal in English and your first language.  I am trying to learn Russian now.  However, I only know some basic vocabulary and phrases, and I can’t write my thoughts in Russian.  I am a beginner.  Try to use as much English as you can.  

3. Audience: You are writing to yourself.  I will also ask you to share selections from your entries with the class.

4. Date every entry.  If you write more than once a day, write the time also.

5. If you are using a notebook, leave a page blank after every entry.  From time to time, we will go back and reflect on previous entries.

You can follow my Language Learning Journal here at Eric Learning Russian.