サムネイル

How Journals and Books can make your Free Time more meaningful

Suja

If you're a busy learner, you probably want your English classes to be as useful as possible.

One of the best ways to get more out of each lesson is to prepare just a little in your own time. You don’t need hours—just a few minutes of focused, creative thinking can make a big difference.

This kind of personal preparation helps you come to class with ideas, vocabulary, and even questions. You’ll feel more ready, more confident, and more engaged in the conversation. Here are two ways to start:

1. Write a Journal — Just for Yourself

Taking 5–10 minutes to write a journal entry can help you practice thinking in English and organize your ideas. You don’t need to worry about perfect grammar or spelling—this is just for you.

Write about your day, your thoughts, or even a question you’d like to ask in class. For example:

“I read a news story about AI today. I didn’t understand all of it, but I want to talk about it in class.”

This kind of reflection gives you content to bring to your lessons—and helps you speak more naturally over time.

2. Talk (or Think) About a Book or a Talk

If you’re reading a book in English, or watching a TED Talk or video, try writing or speaking your thoughts:

  • What was it about?
  • What did you agree or disagree with?
  • Which words or phrases stood out to you?

Even thinking quietly about these questions before class helps you prepare vocabulary and opinions you can share.


Let Your Class Time Work Harder for You

To support students who want to grow independently and then build on that growth in class, I offer three connected courses:

  • 15-DayJournal Writing Class – This class runs offline where you can share your writing with me and get gentle, helpful feedback on your language and ideas.

https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=161593&key=4f7b32ec57094322ad2f41aff2a1f08b

 

 

  • TED Talk Reading – Although this is a read aloud class, you may also choose to watch or read a TED talk before class, then join a guided discussion where we expand your vocabulary and critical thinking.

https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=168043&key=2085678cb58141321f17ef81468374e4

 

  • Conversational English Class – Practice using your thoughts and experiences in real conversation. Ideal for building fluency, tone, and confidence.

https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=648069&key=7a71680221fdb336b1c94a3194c33b73

 

Learning doesn’t stop when class ends—and it doesn’t have to begin only when class starts. Try one of these small habits and see how your confidence grows, one idea at a time.

保存リストに追加済み

本コラムは、講師個人の立場で掲載されたものです。
コラムに記載されている意見は、講師個人のものであり、カフェトークを代表する見解ではありません。

コメント (0)

ログインして、コメント投稿 ログイン »
Premium ribbon

出身国:

居住国:

教えるカテゴリ

講師の言語

英語   ネイティブ
マレー語   不便を感じない
タミール語   日常会話程度
中国語   カタコト

Suja講師の人気コラム

  • 10 different ways of saying I AM HUNGRY!

    Are you hungry? How many different ways have you heard someone say ‘I am hungry’? Here ...

    Suja

    Suja

    2
    29469
    2017年5月23日
  • Reading News Articles

    Reading a news article serves as an excellent learning aid to acqhire new vocabulary and see how th...

    Suja

    Suja

    0
    11103
    2017年6月7日
  • Learning English Watching Clips

    If you're a movie-lover, an interesting and enjoyable way of picking up a language is through watch...

    Suja

    Suja

    4
    10020
    2017年5月30日
  • Repeated Readings

    Repeated readings help you to familiarise yourself with words that are used frequently and recognis...

    Suja

    Suja

    0
    8927
    2017年7月1日
« 全講師コラム一覧へ戻る
お気軽にご質問ください!