Speakers
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
The purpose of this presentation is to provide EFL practitioners with a "journaling toolkit" that provides adaptable strategies for making student journals more meaningful, motivating, and pedagogically effective. The session aims to help teachers move beyond journals as “busywork” and instead use them as tools for language development, learner autonomy, and classroom personalization across diverse ESL/EFL contexts.
Abstract section 5: References
Mogesse, B., Degefu, H., & Degaga, T. (2025). The effect of dialogue journal writing on EFL learners’ writing anxiety and attitudes toward writing. Studies in Foreign Language Education, 10, Article 349.
Rokni, S. J. A., & Seifi, A. (2013). The effect of dialog journal writing on EFL learners’
grammar knowledge. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 9(2), 57–67.
Yoshihara, R. (2008). The bridge between students and teachers: The effect of dialogue
journal writing. The Language Teacher, 32(11), 3–7.
Zatalini, S., & Assassi, N. (2024). Enhancing writing fluency through journaling in EFL
classrooms. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching, 19(1), 45–56.
Zhang, Y., Li, M., Chieh, Y., & Han, S. (2022). On a path to becoming more self-regulated: Reflective journals’ impact on Chinese English as a foreign language students’ self-regulated writing strategy use. Frontiers in Psychology, 13.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The presenters will model a range of journaling techniques drawn from their ESL/EFL teaching experience. Activities include topic creation frameworks, grammar-focused prompts, schema-building tasks, peer-interaction journals, coding systems, error inventories, AI-assisted revision, and multimodal extensions. Sample student prompts, visuals, and classroom workflows will be shared, with time for audience reflection and questions.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Participants will leave with a practical checklist of "journaling hacks" that can be implemented immediately. Attendees will learn how to design engaging prompts, encourage target language use, analyze common error patterns, and use student journal data to personalize lessons and materials. The presentation will also demonstrate how AI tools can support revision and creativity without replacing student thinking. By the end, teachers will be able to transform journaling into an interactive, purposeful component of their writing curriculum.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Journaling supports both cognitive and affective dimensions of second language development by promoting meaningful output, reflection, and noticing errors (Zhang et al., 2022). Research indicates that regular journal writing improves fluency and learner confidence (Zatalini & Assassi, 2024), reduces writing anxiety, and strengthens teacher–student rapport (Yoshihara, 2008; Mogesse et al., 2025). Additionally, dialogue journaling has been linked to gains in grammatical accuracy and increased uptake of feedback (Rokni & Seifi, 2013). Despite this evidence, journaling is often under structured in practice. This presentation connects research findings with classroom applications to enhance the pedagogical effectiveness of journaling in ESL/EFL contexts.
| Title | Beyond the Journal: Innovative Strategies for EFL Journaling |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |