GRATITUDE JOURNAL AS A TOOL FOR ENHANCING WRITING SKILLS IN BASIC ENGLISH LEARNERS

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.4372522103

• Palavras-chave: Gratitud, diario, psicología positiva, inglés, aprendizaje, enseñanza de lenguas.

• Keywords: gratitude, journal, positive psychology, English, learning, teaching languages.

• Abstract: This study investigates the impact of gratitude on focus and resilience in university students learning English as a second language through the use of a gratitude journal. Data were collected from 23 basic English students at Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico, over the course of one semester. Participants maintained a gratitude journal in English, beginning with simple sentences and gradually progressing to longer entries. They also completed a questionnaire assessing their focus and resilience. A control group of students who did not engage in journaling completed the same questionnaire for comparison. Findings indicate that incorporating gratitude journaling supports improved focus, enhanced writing skills, and greater emotional resilience during language learning. These results suggest that gratitude interventions can be a valuable addition to ESL instruction, fostering both academic and emotional development. In today’s educational context, teaching English as a second language requires innovative strategies that address not only cognitive but emotional aspects of learning. Incorporating positive psychology practices, such as gratitude journaling, offers a practical approach to deepen students' personal connection with the material and increase their motivation. This study highlights the benefits of integrating such techniques into language education to promote more engaging and effective learning experiences.