English Diary Writing and Its Impact on Korean Students’ L2 Proficiency: A Meta-analysis

This meta-analysis investigates the impact of English diary writing on the L2 proficiency of Korean students. Despite numerous experimental studies highlighting the benefits of diary writing for language learning, there has been a lack of comprehensive meta-analytical research on this topic. This study synthesizes findings from 41 cases in 31 studies, focusing on various moderating variables such as publication type, school level, feedback presence, and dependent variables like writing, speaking, reading, listening, and vocabulary. The results indicate a significant positive effect of diary writing on English proficiency, with a mean effect size of 0.608, demonstrating a moderate impact. Studies published as journal articles and those involving university students showed larger effect sizes. Interestingly, the absence of feedback correlated with larger effect sizes, suggesting that unstructured feedback might hinder motivation and self-efficacy. The study underscores the need for targeted, constructive feedback and highlights the enhanced benefits for older learners with advanced cognitive skills. The findings advocate for integrating diary writing into language curricula and call for further research to explore its long-term impacts and the role of technology and feedback in optimizing this practice. (Jeonju University)