Teaching Journal
A teaching journal is a regular written record of teaching experiences used as a tool for professional development. It makes the implicit explicit — surfacing beliefs, assumptions, patterns, and questions that might otherwise go unexamined. Farrell (1998, 2013) and Richards and Lockhart (1994) identify journal writing as one of the most accessible forms of reflective practice.
Types of Journal Entry
| Type | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | What happened | "Today I taught a reading lesson on climate change. Students struggled with the jigsaw activity." |
| Reflective | Why it happened; what it means | "The jigsaw failed because the texts were too long and the groups too large. Next time I'll shorten the texts and use pairs." |
| Critical | Wider implications; questioning assumptions | "Why do I default to jigsaw? Is it genuinely the best approach here, or am I using it because it's familiar? What assumptions about collaborative learning am I making?" |
Most writers begin descriptively and gradually develop reflective and critical depth over time.
Benefits
- Pattern recognition — recurring themes across entries reveal habitual practices, persistent problems, and unconscious preferences
- Theory-practice connection — writing about classroom events forces engagement with the reasons behind decisions, linking practice to beliefs and theories
- Problem-solving — articulating problems clearly is often the first step toward solving them
- Professional identity — sustained journal writing develops a sense of professional self and growth trajectory
- Evidence for development — journal entries provide concrete evidence for portfolios, appraisals, and research
Practical Considerations
- Frequency — even 10 minutes after each lesson is valuable; consistency matters more than length
- Format — handwritten, typed, audio, or video; whatever reduces barriers to writing
- Prompts — structured questions help when starting out: What went well? What surprised me? What would I change?
- Privacy — journals are most honest when writers know they are not being assessed on content
- Dialogue journals — sharing entries with a mentor or colleague adds an intersubjective dimension and can deepen reflection
Connection to Critical Incident Analysis
Journal writing naturally generates critical incidents — moments that stand out as significant and yield professional insight. Tripp (1993) argues that incidents become "critical" not because they are dramatic but because the teacher analyses them critically. The journal is the natural habitat for this analysis.
Research Evidence
Farrell (1998) found that ESL/EFL teachers who kept reflective journals became more aware of their teaching practices, developed a shared professional vocabulary with colleagues, and reported greater confidence in pedagogical decision-making. The journal served as both a reflective tool and a record of professional growth.
Key References
- Farrell, T. S. C. (1998). Reflective teaching: The principles and practices. English Teaching Forum, 36(4), 10–17.
- Farrell, T. S. C. (2013). Reflective Practice in ESL Teacher Development Groups. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Richards, J. C., & Lockhart, C. (1994). Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. Cambridge University Press.
- Bailey, K. M. (1990). The use of diary studies in teacher education programs. In J. C. Richards & D. Nunan (Eds.), Second Language Teacher Education (pp. 215–226). Cambridge University Press.