Complete Guide to Writing an English Learning Journal

I. Introduction to Learning Journal

A learning journal is a daily diary documenting your English learning journey. This is not just a place to record knowledge but also a space for you to share experiences, thoughts, and emotions throughout your learning process.

Why Write a Journal?

Reinforce learned knowledge
Track learning progress
Practice English writing skills
Reflect on personal experiences and genuine emotions – this helps you connect more deeply with the language
Develop consistent learning habits

II. Detailed Structure of a Journal Entry

1. Vocabulary – 15-30 minutes

How to practice:

Reread the whole vocab book
Cover the definition side, read the word side then try to recall the word
If you could recall the word → hold the cover for 3 seconds for the last effort (to deepen memory), then uncover to see the word
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not try to remember at all costs – if you can’t remember, just skip it and uncover to see the definition

In your journal, write:

List of vocabulary reviewed
New vocabulary learned during the day
Notes on which words were impressive or difficult to remember

Example:

Vocab:
- steady (adj): not changing, constant
- fluctuate (v): to vary irregularly
- impulse shopping: a sudden action without thinking deeply
- Revised all words, learnt some new words
- Most impressive: protozoa (n) - a group of microscopic animals including many forms

2. Listening – 1-2 hours or 15-30 minutes

There are 2 types:

a) Passive Listening

Time: 1-2 hours
How to practice: Listen to a show, podcast, or academic channel passively while doing other things (writing, learning vocabulary…)
Resources:

b) Active Listening

Time: 15-30 minutes
Purpose: Improving listening skills

2 methods:

Method 1 – Listen to authentic audio:

Listen to authentic audio (real English, not materials designed for studying)
Summarize it into the journal notebook

Method 2 – Practice tests:

Pick a listening practice test then follow these steps:
1. Listen for the gist
2. Listen for the detail

In your journal, write:

Name of podcast/video listened to
Summary of main content
What you found interesting or learned
New vocabulary/phrases from the listening

Example:

Listening:
Today I listened to a podcast "Teen Money Matters: Making Smart Financial Decisions"
Guest James Chen presented some tips to manage finance in teens.
He suggested that teenagers should have a budget and part-time jobs. 
Before we buy something, we'd better contemplate and ask ourselves "Do we really need it?"

New vocab: contemplate (v) - think carefully about something

3. Reading – 15-30 minutes

How to practice:

Choose an authentic reading
Read and follow these steps:
1. Summarize the reading
2. Collect new words from the reading

Resources:

In your journal, write:

Title of the reading
Brief summary of main content
Personal opinion about the reading (interesting, boring, informative…)
New vocabulary learned

Example:

Reading:
I read a reading text: "Animals"
There are up to 30 million species in the animal kingdom. Of course, every animal is born, grows, reproduces and dies, but only a number of them...

My notes: Very informative! I learned about different animal species and their characteristics. The part about chilies was especially interesting.

4. Speaking – 30-60 minutes

How to practice:

Listen to or watch a show, podcast (choose authentic materials only)
Pick some favourite phrases for shadowing later
Practice shadowing with those phrases

In your journal, write:

Program watched/listened to
Phrases picked for shadowing practice
Feelings about speaking practice

Example:

Speaking:
Today I just listened to a postcard, "healing post card", just passive listening.
Picked some useful phrases for shadowing practice later.

I stood before a mirror and spoke to myself and I also acted as an MC in my family :))

5. Writing – 1-2 hours

How to practice:

Step 1:

Rewrite the last essay that is marked by your teacher
Focus on the comments

Step 2:

Pick a new topic in Task 1 or Task 2 for the new writing

Resources:

https://ieltsonlinetests.com/ielts-exam-library?skill=writing

In your journal, write:

Which essay you rewrote
New writing topic (if any)
Difficulties encountered while writing
What you improved

6. Feeling ⭐ THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION

This is the MOST CRITICAL part of your journal!

Why write the Feeling section?

Helps you connect emotions with learning
Creates sustainable learning motivation
Records real-life experiences
Transforms learning from “a task” into “your story”

You should share:

Feelings about today’s learning (happy, sad, interested, tired…)
Daily experiences: what happened to you today?
Thoughts about learning progress
What excited or disappointed you
Connection between English learning and real life
Goals and motivation

Example:

Feeling:
Good! I am really curious about our new app to study.
This is the first time I have written journal in take-notes app → quite interesting!

I feel motivated today because I learned many useful phrases from the podcast about financial decisions. I even shared some tips with my mom and she was impressed!

Today was a bit tiring, but I'm proud that I finished all my tasks. The reading about animals was fascinating - I never knew there were so many species!

Tomorrow I want to practice speaking more with my friends.

III. Summary of One Day’s Learning Routine

Suggested time for each activity:

Activity	Time	Importance
Vocabulary	15-30 mins	⭐⭐⭐ Never skip
Passive Listening	1-2 hours	⭐⭐ Rarely skip
Active Listening	15-30 mins	⭐⭐ May skip sometimes
Writing	1-2 hours	⭐⭐ Rarely skip
Reading	15-30 mins	Optional
Speaking	30-60 mins	Optional
Writing Journal	15 mins	⭐⭐⭐ Never skip

IV. Tips for Effective Journal Writing

1. Write in English

Use your own language (English only)
You may want to use your own language or even drawing

2. Write honestly, write about real experiences

Don’t write just for the sake of writing
Share your genuine feelings and thoughts
Talk about things that happened during the day related to your learning

3. Write consistently every day

Even just a few lines is fine
Persistence is what matters

4. Don’t be too elaborate

No need to write long entries
No need to write beautifully
What matters is recording what you learned and how you felt

5. Review your journal regularly

Review once a week
Recognize your own progress
Adjust learning methods if needed

V. Example of a Complete Journal Entry

Journal - [Date]

1. Vocabulary
- Revised all the words, learnt some new words
- Most impressive: 
  * protozoa (n): a group of microscopic animals including many forms, 
    it belongs to the kingdom Protista
  * undeniably (adv): certainly, without doubt
  * sustainable (adj): tons of
  * versatile (adj): have many functions

2. Listening
We listened to a podcast: "Teen Money Matters: Making Smart Financial Decisions"
The guest James Chen presented some tips to manage finance in teens.
He suggested that teenagers should have a budget and part-time jobs. 
Before we buy something, we'd better contemplate and ask ourselves 
"Do we really need it?"

He pointed out the things you need and want to avoid costs. Then, he pointed 
out other 3 questions to ask before buying. Moreover, he suggested some 
part-time jobs also: babysitting, dog walking. Finally, he gave 8 tips 
to help teenagers manage money.

3. Reading
Today I read a reading task and did TYPING.
Chilies originated in South America and have been eaten for thousands of years.
Their heat comes from capsaicin, a chemical that activates pain receptors and 
triggers endorphins, creating a brief "natural high." Only mammals feel the 
burning sensation, so capsaicin likely evolved to protect the seeds from being 
eaten. Smaller chilies tend to be hotter, and chili heat is measured on the 
Scoville scale, with varieties ranging from mild paprika to extremely hot types 
like Habanero and Scotch Bonnet.

4. Speaking
I stood before a mirror and spoke to myself and I also acted as a MC 
in my family :))

Today I practiced shadowing with some phrases from the financial podcast.
It was challenging but fun!

5. Writing
Today I rewrote my essay about making smart financial decisions based on 
my teacher's feedback. I improved my vocabulary and sentence structures.
I also practiced using transition words more effectively.

6. Feeling ⭐
Good! I am really curious about our new app to study.
This is the first time I have written journal in take-notes app 
→ quite interesting!

Today I felt proud of myself because I completed all tasks. The podcast 
about money was very useful - I shared some tips with my mom and she was 
impressed! This makes me more motivated to continue learning.

I realized that learning English is not just about memorizing words and 
grammar. It's about understanding real-life situations and being able to 
use the language practically. The financial tips I learned today are 
something I can actually apply in my life.

I'm a bit tired but happy. Tomorrow I will try to speak more English 
with my friends and maybe watch an English movie.

VI. Final Advice

Remember:

The journal is YOURS – write in your own way
There’s no right or wrong way to write – as long as you write honestly
The Feeling section is the soul of the journal – don’t skip it!
Sharing daily experiences helps you see English learning connected to life
Be consistent every day – even if just 15 minutes

Guiding questions for the Feeling section:

How do you feel about today’s learning?
What happened during the day?
Did you use English in any situation?
What interested you most today?
What difficulties did you face? How did you overcome them?
What are you proud of today?
What do you want to improve tomorrow?
How did learning English connect to your real life today?

VII. Additional Tips for Making Your Journal More Meaningful

Make it personal:

Include details about your daily life
Connect English learning to your hobbies, interests, and goals
Write about conversations you had, even if they were in your head
Describe funny moments or embarrassing mistakes – these make the best learning experiences!

Be specific about experiences:

Instead of “I learned new words,” write “I learned the word ‘contemplate’ from the podcast and immediately used it when talking to my friend about buying a new phone”
Instead of “Today was good,” write “Today was exciting because I understood a whole conversation between native speakers for the first time!”

Track your emotions honestly:

It’s okay to write “I felt frustrated today because I couldn’t understand the speaker’s accent”
It’s valuable to note “I felt amazing when my teacher complimented my pronunciation”
These emotional connections make learning more memorable

Best wishes for an interesting and effective English learning journey! 🌟

Remember: Your journal is not just about English learning – it’s about YOUR story, YOUR feelings, and YOUR journey! Make it real, make it personal, make it YOURS!