It’s easy to ignore the benefits of documenting your language learning. To think language learning time is always best spent learning new stuff. That you have to always be adding more, more, more. Learning new, new, new. Phew. Exhausting.

Here’s 6 benefits to documenting your language learning, and why it’s worth your time.

Benefit 1: It gives you something to notice your improvements.

Trying to get better at learning a language without documenting your progress is like living with a puppy. Yes, it totally is. Bear with me.

You know when you live with a puppy and see it every day? You don’t see it grow as much as your Great Aunt Gladys who only sees it at Christmas and birthdays.

If you take regular photos of your puppy however, and put them side-by-side, you might just catch a glimpse of how much your little fluffball has actually grown.

Same for your language learning. And when you don’t document your language learning (aka take photos of your puppy!), you risk losing the opportunity to have something to check back on and actually see how you’ve improved.

Related: How to Record Your Language Learning Progress

Benefit 2: It gives you milestones to work towards.

Ever wandered around aimlessly with a language? A lesson here, a streak for a day or two on Duolingo there?

When you’ve got time carved out to document your language learning, you’re giving yourself milestones or ‘deadlines’ to work towards.

So, for example, let’s say your documenting is going to be in the form of regular speaking recordings.
You know that by the end of the month, you’ll be sitting down to speak, so you’ve got something to work towards with your learning before that time too.

Win win.

Related: How to Commit to Learning a Language When You Can’t Do It Regularly

Benefit 3: It gives you time to think about your languages from a distance.

This might be my favourite. It’s such an under-rated element of successful language learning. The ability to ‘detatch’ yourself from your learning and results, and instead observe it as a sort of ‘outsider’ is really helpful.

Documenting your language learning gives this chance because you then get to watch yourself back, or read what you’ve written, and can ‘observe’ how you’re doing without being fully embedded and ‘in’ your language learning.

Related: How to Become a Better Language Learner

Benefit 4: It gives you chances to speak and write regularly.

Documenting your language learning could be tracking your habits, resources and goals. But it’s also useful to record yourself writing and speaking – producing the language.

Without ‘document my language progress’ on your to do list, can you honestly say you’d write and speak that regularly?

Language learning is all about practice. The more you do, the better you become. And the more confident you become too.

So any chance to give you the space to produce in the language? Go for it!

Related: How to Start Speaking a New Language For The First Time

Benefit 5 – It gives you a better chance of achieving your goals.

Goals are great ‘n’ all, but have you tried putting things in place to help you actually achieve them?

Documenting your language learning is a hugely useful step to give you a better chance of achieving your goals rather than aimlessly proceeding.

And when you’ve confident with your goals, you move fearlessly forward with your language learning.

Related: How to Set Mistake Goals for Language Learning

Benefit 6 – It gives you a clear picture of gaps in your knowledge.

Why is it useful to have a clear picture of gaps in your knowledge? So you know what to learn next, of course!

Documenting (and reviewing what you document) is the easiest way to course correct any loose ends with your language learning progress.

Listen or read back what you create and note the gaps to improve on. You might even spot this when you’re producing too – writing and speaking to document your progress.

Either way, this can only be a good thing for your long-term success.

Related: Developing Better Listening Skills for Language Learning