Global Skills: Creating empowered 21st century citizens

Gratitude diary
Instructions

How this activity supports learning Global skills covered:

There is growing evidence that practising gratitude ● Emotional self-regulation
regularly can promote wellbeing and positive and wellbeing
learner attitudes. In the language classroom, it
● Creativity and critical
offers the added benefit of promoting meaningful
thinking
communication and personalized language use.
● Communication and
collaboration

For more on learner wellbeing,

see page 14 of Global skills:
oxelt.gl/globalskills

Classroom instructions Variations

If this activity is repeated at regular intervals, the
worksheets can be compiled into a gratitude diary or, for
younger learners, a thank you diary.
● Begin by gathering ideas from the whole class.
● Students can then complete the gratitude diary or
thank you diary worksheet individually with their own
ideas.
● After they have completed their worksheets, students
could share ideas in small groups. As students may not
feel comfortable sharing everything they have written
down, it may be helpful to provide a specific focus for
this stage.
Younger learners may want to draw some of their ideas as
well as (or instead of ) writing them.
With older students, you could detach the lower section
of the gratitude diary worksheet and ask students to
complete it at the end of each day or week, either in class
or at home. This will help students get into the habit of
practising gratitude regularly. You could also ask students
to design their own gratitude diary pages using a similar
format.
For students at higher levels, gratitude diary entries could
be used as a starting point for oral presentations or for
longer pieces of writing, such as a thank-you letter to a
person who has made a positive impact on the student’s
life.

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Gratitude diary
© Oxford University Press
Example

Example
my new pencil case
Things I’m good at

Possessions

Name: Date:
I can sing

PRINTABLE

Things that I’m grateful for

people and relationships experiences places abilities talents
personal qualities opportunities feelings problems you have overcome
1. I’ve got good friends.
Food and drink

2. I’ve got a comfortable home.

my bedroon
the beach
Places

3. I’m good at football.

4. I’m healthy.
pizza

5. Our classroom has got air conditioning.

Date:

6. I make people laugh.

7. I’m getting better at the guitar.
8. I’m feeling less nervous about speaking English.
9. I’m getting on well with my sister at the moment.
10. I’ve got clean water to drink.
Special occasions

birthday parties
my hamster
Pets

Three things that I felt grateful for today / this week

I slept really well last night
Family and friends

Things I like doing

I enjoyed hanging out with my friends at lunchtime

my mum, dad and

Thank you diary

my friend Paolo
brother

football
I dropped my phone and it didn’t break

Global Skills toolkit.indd 11

Name:
PRINTABLE © Oxford University Press
Global Skills toolkit.indd 12 07/11/2019 11:42
PRINTABLE © Oxford University Press
Thank you diary
1
Name: Date:

Family and friends Pets Food and drink Things I’m good at

Things I like doing Special occasions Places Possessions

PRINTABLE © Oxford University Press

 Gratitude diary
1
Name: Date:

Things that I’m grateful for

people and relationships experiences places abilities talents

personal qualities opportunities feelings problems you have overcome

Three things that I felt grateful for today / this week

PRINTABLE © Oxford University Press