Hello, I'm Maru, an English learner. This time, I started learning English through diary writing using the multi-language correction diary app "LangJournal," so I'd like to share my experience and impressions with you. If you're looking for a language learning diary app, please read through to the end.
What is the LangJournal App?
LangJournal is an app that helps you learn languages through diary habits. You can learn 6 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch, all equipped with AI-powered diary correction features.
What's notable about this app is that it's not just about correction - you can also share diaries with teams, interact with friends through chat, and ask questions to ChatGPT.
The main features are as follows:
- Instant diary correction by AI
- Join teams and share diaries
- Ask questions to ChatGPT
- Check written diaries against CEFR levels
- Attach photos and videos to diaries
- Record voice to check pronunciation
How I Actually Used It
Next, let me introduce how to use LangJournal along with my actual experience using it. If you're thinking "I want to try it but can't imagine how it works," please take a look at the actual screenshots I've included.
① Writing a Diary
First, I write a diary. The key point here is that you can choose the type of diary. Many people worry about what to write in regular diaries since they're free-form, but with LangJournal, you don't have to worry about that.
- Write freely
- Choose by theme
- Random topic
You can write whatever content you want, or choose from themes to write about.
When you select "Choose by theme," topics are prepared by level like this:
② Getting Corrections
After writing a diary, you can immediately receive corrections. The AI provides instant correction, so you can get feedback while your learning enthusiasm is still hot, which is a key feature.
As shown in the image, marks are placed on areas with mistakes, and alternatives with explanations are provided. It doesn't just correct mistakes but also visualizes "why it should be this way," which I found easy to understand.
AI correction result screen
③ Asking ChatGPT Questions
After receiving corrections, I ask ChatGPT questions. I asked, "Please correct this sentence to sound more native and explain the reasons."
While the previous correction only pointed out grammatical mistakes, here I was able to learn from a new perspective of how a native speaker would express it. The suggested text changed significantly from the opening to the use of conjunctions and expressions, so there were many points of realization.
④ Sharing Diary with Team
Finally, I share the diary in the team chat. LangJournal has a system where you form teams of 5 people and can encourage each other while learning through diary sharing and chat interactions.
This is what it looked like when I first posted a diary after joining a team. The checkmarks below the diary indicate reactions from teammates who have read the diary. You can react with reaction buttons or dig deeper into the diary content - the team usage is flexible. Knowing that someone is watching motivated me to continue learning.
Diary sharing within team
My Impressions of Using LangJournal
My honest impression of using LangJournal is, "The features designed to help you continue are so good that even I, who usually give up after 3 days, was able to keep going!"
One of the important things in learning a language is consistency. Even if you become fluent through studying abroad, if you don't have opportunities to use English for a long time afterward, you'll easily forget it.
I had experience studying in Canada and worked in a job that used English, but as soon as I stopped using English, I forgot not just conversation but even simple words and grammar. However, this time, by using LangJournal to write English diaries every day, I successfully regained my sense of using English little by little.
Just 15 minutes a day is fine. By giving yourself opportunities to engage with English, your learning effectiveness increases dramatically. And LangJournal has a system that allows you to complete everything from diary creation to correction and sharing in those 15 minutes.
I felt it's an optimal tool not just for building English learning habits but also for improving English skills.
What I Liked About LangJournal
Finally, let me introduce 3 points I found good about using LangJournal.
- You can share diaries with team members
- Topics are prepared
- You can learn not just corrections but also natural native expressions
Let's look at each one in detail.
You Can Share Diaries with Team Members
The first point is that you can share diaries with team members.
As I mentioned earlier, LangJournal has a team function where 5 people form a team, and you can share diaries and interact through chat there.
There are 3 benefits to utilizing the team function:
- Having teammates helps you want to continue writing diaries every day
- Reading teammates' diaries helps you study
- Chatting in English provides opportunities for output
When writing diaries alone, you might lose motivation and give up. However, by doing it together with LangJournal teammates, your motivation to continue learning works, and you can continue more easily than writing diaries alone.
Also, you can learn vocabulary and expressions by reading other members' diaries, and English chat becomes a practice field for output, so I recommend it.
Topics Are Prepared
The second good point is that topics are prepared.
I've tried to start English diaries several times before, but I always quit immediately due to the reason "I have nothing to write about." Since I didn't have special events every day, I got stuck at the content stage before even writing in English.
However, with LangJournal, topics are prepared, so you don't have to worry about what to write.
- Write freely
- Choose by theme
- Random topic
It's fine to write freely today and choose by theme tomorrow. Themes have 5 levels from 1 to 5, so you can choose topics according to your level. Raising the level when you get used to it is also one method!
You Can Learn Not Just Corrections But Also Natural Native Expressions
The final good point is that you can learn not just corrections but also natural native expressions.
For those whose purpose is "first, to output their opinions and daily life in English," the correction function alone should be sufficient.
However, for those who think "I can write words and grammar without mistakes, but I want to know natural native expressions," I recommend the question function.
I felt that by effectively utilizing this ChatGPT question function, my vocabulary and expression range expanded further.
After writing a diary using the words and grammar I think are appropriate, asking "Please correct this sentence to sound more native and explain the reasons" helped me see what I'm lacking (vocabulary level, conjunction usage, tense, etc.).
You can also ask questions freely in other ways, so you can ask about what you want to know.
LangJournal for English Diary Correction Apps
This time, I shared my impressions and recommended points after actually using the English correction diary app LangJournal. To summarize, it was a wonderful app with features that made it easy to continue even for someone like me who usually gives up after 3 days!
The 3 especially recommended points are:
- You can share diaries with team members
- Topics are prepared
- You can learn not just corrections but also natural native expressions
I recommend it for those who want to build language learning habits, those who want to improve their language skills through diary writing, and those who want to study while encouraging each other with friends. You can start for free, so please download it.
Download LangJournal here.