Using narrative to examine positionality: Powerful pedagogy in English education
Abstract
This article represents one portion of a systematic examination of a narrative inquiry project designed for pre-service English education students. It offers a narrative writing and a reflective writing of one student, Lisa, to demonstrate how the project worked in her efforts to investigate the nature of students, teaching and students’ learning. It also points to some implications for English language arts teacher preparation. First, what kinds of pedagogies might support prospective English language arts teachers as they grapple with complex concepts, and how might teacher educators create “safe spaces” where these pedagogies then become possible? How might teacher educators locate themselves in the classroom in order to enact these pedagogies? Furthermore, how do projects such as the one described reflect visions – though arguably problematic – that can be developed into segments of teacher preparation curriculum in ways that support the knowledge base for teaching and that are also responsive to prospective teachers’ perceived needs?
Reference
Knight, S. D. (2011). Using narrative to examine positionality: Powerful pedagogy in English education. English Teaching: Practice & Critique (University of Waikato), 10(2), 49–64.
Journal
English Teaching: Practice and Critique
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
unclear
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
- English Language Arts (ELA)
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
1
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- and Chatman’s (2000) constructs
- Golberger and Tarule's (1997) framework
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
Whether and to what extent do both the content (what Lisa wrote) and processes (the moves Lisa made as a writer) of The Narrative Project allow for both an exploration and examination of beliefs about students, teaching and learning?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
Whether and to what extent does The Narrative Project then afford Lisa the opportunity to examine the concept of positionality?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes