Tracing Interconnected Development in Self‐Directed L2 Learning: Journal Writing as a Window Into L2 Change in a Longitudinal Case Study

This exploratory longitudinal case study investigates the one‐year L2 English development of a working adult engaged in self‐directed learning, focusing on the activities, resources, and contexts that influenced the participant's progress. Drawing on longitudinal quantitative and qualitative data, journal entries and monthly essays were collected and analyzed, along with interviews, surveys, session notes, and email exchanges to explore the participant's perspectives on L2 learning and selected learning approaches and resources. This case illustrates the dynamic, non‐linear nature of the participant's L2 development, including the interconnected influence of learning resources, the emergence of syntactically complex structures, and shifts in perceptions of English in relation to diverse learning materials. These outcomes suggest that, in this case, L2 development emerged through interacting cognitive, affective, and contextual factors rather than linear cause–effect relationships. Given the single‐case design, the findings offer case‐based insights into the dynamic processes underlying self‐directed L2 learning.