The Weekly Language Audit: How to Track Your Progress

Most learners rely on motivation. But motivation is fickle. It vanishes when you are tired or busy. Successful learners rely on Systems. One of the best systems is the "Weekly Language Audit".

Why Audit Yourself?

It's easy to lie to yourself. "I studied a lot this week," you think. But did you? Or did you just watch Netflix with English subtitles? An audit forces you to face the data.

The Sunday Review Template

Every Sunday evening, spend 10 minutes asking yourself these 4 questions:

1. What did I focus on? (Input vs Output)

Estimate your hours. Did you spend 10 hours reading but 0 hours speaking? If so, next week needs more speaking practice. Balance is key.

2. What was my big win?

Celebrate small victories. "I understood a joke in a podcast" or "I learned 5 new kanji." This keeps dopamine high.

3. Where did I fail?

Be honest. "I skipped Wednesday because I was tired." Okay, why? Maybe you need to study in the morning instead of at night. Analyze the obstacle so you can remove it.

4. The One Goal for Next Week

Don't say "Study hard." Be specific. "Read Chapter 3 of Harry Potter and write a 100-word summary." Specific goals create specific actions.

Tracking Metrics

You can also track hard numbers:

• New Words Added: (e.g., 25)
• Time Spent Listening: (e.g., 3 hours)
• Pages Read: (e.g., 15)

Seeing these numbers grow over weeks gives you a sense of momentum that pure "feeling" cannot provided.