Narrative Inquiry Research Articles

(Re)Presenting Endarkened Narrative Inquiry Through Vulnerable, Empowered, and Spirit-Driven Narratives

This article extends the previous conversations around Endarkened Narrative Inquiry (ENI) and wisdom whisper. Endarkened narrative inquiry is a culturally situated qualitative framework rooted in Black women’s onto-epistemologies and narrative inquiry. Wisdom whisper is a qualitative data collection method that attends to the various nuances of language, attitudes, and upbringing that exist in discourse, particularly from an intergenerational context. In this article, I expand that knowledge base, informed by existing literature, to present the creation of Vulnerable, Empowered, and Spirit-Driven Narratives (VES Narratives) as an approach to qualitative data analysis and (re)presentation from a culturally situated perspective. Specifically, I offer VES Narratives to reconcile O’Neal’s and other scholars’ critiques of using Western Bildungsroman as a coming-of-age technique for people of color, especially women of color.

Amalgamating multiple selves in the storied experience of cross‐cultural mentorship

AbstractThis narrative inquiry explores cross‐cultural experiences of a faculty mentor and an international doctoral student mentee in counselor education. Analysis unearthed themes on the approach to and experience of cross‐cultural mentorship, attunement and affirmation, growth opportunities, and professional and personal connections. Findings considered mentorship literature and addressed future application implications.

I FEEL, THEN I LEARN

This article identifies the possible emotions that may be present in students during English learning process and determines the way in which these emotions influence said process. This, through qualitative research with a focus on grounded theory in which participant observation, a written survey and an interview are implemented as a tool for collecting information; the data analysis is carried out under the methods of narrative inquiry, discourse analysis and assertion development. As a result, it stands out that in the participating population there is a greater presence of motivation, curiosity and pride, although there is still fear and stress, since it is completely normal to experience positive and negative emotions at various moments of learning a second language. Among the conclusions, it is highlighted that negative emotions in the classroom affect the comprehension capacity and linguistic skills of learners, since their attention is interrupted by devastating thoughts that demotivate them and impede their learning.

A narrative inquiry into EFL tutors’ career trajectories through social cognitive career theory

Despite the prevalence of English private tutoring (EPT) in EFL contexts, scant literature has focused on its tutors’ career experiences. This narrative study, underpinned by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), inquiries into the career trajectories of three EFL tutors in Mainland China. Data were mainly collected through three rounds of narrative interviews. Tutors’ photos representing significant career moments supplemented the interview data. Based on their narratives, these participants experienced ‘zigzag’ career trajectories that featured frequent turnovers, lengthy work gaps, and identity shifts from institutional tutors to start-up owners. Informed by SCCT, this study unveils that tutors’ career trajectories were shaped by their self-efficacy beliefs associated with personal attributes and prior experiences. Tutors’ trajectories were also shaped by their outcome expectations from material and social perspectives, and contextual influences, including personal opportunities and barriers, institutional management, and socio-political factors like the ongoing ‘Double Reduction’ policy. These findings are discussed in order to inform other tutors to visualize and organize their career development within the context of policy constraints and, furthermore, offer implications for tutorial institutions to retain tutors for instructional consistency. This inquiry also demonstrates the potential to apply the SCCT model to understanding teachers’ career development in the ‘shadow education’ context.

Narrative pedagogy in sport, PETE, and physical education: A scoping review

This article conceptualises narrative pedagogy and surveys the literature investigating its use in sport, physical education teacher education and physical education. A scoping review informed by Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) five-stage framework resulted in the consideration of 13 relevant studies. The following questions were explored: Who conducted these studies? Where and when were these conducted? Why did the authors choose to use narrative pedagogy? How did they do it? Which topics were addressed in the studies? In answering these questions and discussing the answers, this article contributes to mapping the existing literature and identifying gaps for future pedagogical opportunities. It is highlighted that narrative researchers can maximise the social impact of narrative inquiry by translating their findings into narrative pedagogy interventions. The incorporation of new storytelling strategies is suggested as a means to advance the future of narrative pedagogy.

Education Failure Education Failure: Untold Tales of Bangladeshi Transgender’s Unquenchable Educational Aspirations

This study examines the undocumented narratives around the persistent desire for education among transgender individuals in Bangladesh, highlighting the challenges they have encountered in their academic pursuits. Through an analysis of the stories provided by eight adult transgender participants, this research identifies noteworthy factors that have led to the disparity observed in the educational aspirations of transgender individuals. In conjunction with in-depth interviews and interpretive phenomenological analysis, a narrative inquiry approach was utilized to acquire a comprehensive comprehension of the participants' viewpoints regarding educational aspirations. The results of the study indicate several significant factors that contribute to the diminished educational aspirations of transgender students. The results of the study indicate several significant factors that contribute to the diminished educational aspirations of transgender students, such as falsified sex identity, social stigmas, bullying, abuse and harassment, teachers' ignorance and unhelpful behavior, economic hardship and poverty, and unfavorable learning environments. The findings have highlighted the need for more open and accepting environments for transgender children and young adults, particularly in family and educational settings. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Res arch, 50(1): 7-20

Extractivism triggering new forms of governance for the rights of nature: The case of Northwest Ecuador

The intensification of resource extractivism around the world poses multiple challenges and fosters the development of new governance structures, especially among communities on the frontlines of resource extraction. Through a narrative inquiry based on narrative interviews with local actors and experts, this article centres on governance as a resistance strategy of local, frontline, communities in the Ecuadorian Northwest Pichincha and Imbabura provinces. The narratives give insights into: a) How new processes of governance are triggered by mining conflict and, in particular, how governance is shaped and manifested; b) Governance challenges faced by local governments and communities; and c) Lessons and recommendations for governance and how these contribute to the discussion of post-extractivism alternatives. New governance processes are shaped through socio-organisational processes and the strengthening of associations and civil society organisations; the institutionalisation of private, civil society, and community conservation initiatives; as well as the actions of the organised community to successfully invoke the Rights of Nature (RoN) through legal litigation. Institutional gaps that reflect competing visions of development are seen as governance challenges by local government and community members. Overall, this study highlights the critical role of governance structures and instruments rooted in frontline community perspectives, offering pathways for the development of post-extractivism alternatives.

When Participants Embody the Answer: A Narrative Case Study of Community Leadership

<i>Community leadership has been studied for decades, yet more still needs to be understood about its development among members of an area. While scholars can investigate phenomena from various methodologies and disciplines, there are other methodologies that can help researchers delve deeper into understanding a concept such as this. Narrative case study research with an emphasis on counter-narratives and embodiment is one way to understand community leadership. Through this single holistic narrative case study, I examined how community leadership developed in a low-income and segregated community. The findings of this study focus on four main areas: (1) care work with subthemes such as community leadership among church members and community members, (2) entrepreneurship, and (3) embodiment of the counter-narrative. The insights from this article serve as a way for scholars to identify the emergence of counter-narratives, as well as ways in which counter-narratives can help others learn about community leadership.</i>

The (im)possible mission of language teacher educators in Germany: Identity formation, development, and practice in institutionalised settings

AbstractResearch on language teacher identity and its development has shown that it can be crucial for teacher education to understand how identity development takes place. The few findings to date on language teacher educators and their identities show individual negotiation processes and antinomies, particularly due to transitions from teacher to teacher educator, the parallel roles of researcher and teacher educator, and so on. The project presented here examines the language teacher educator identities of 12 professionals within a highly structured training program in Germany through narrative inquiry as a means to allow for the reconstruction of biographies, identities, and practices. The narratives illustrate the normative settings of the structured system, such as set curricular guidelines, which can rarely be fulfilled by the teacher trainees, a lack of trust and professional relationship, or the struggle of the teacher educators between advisor on the one hand and evaluator on the other. The results provide implications and recommendations for other institutionalised settings in which language teacher educators work.

A Narrative Inquiry into the Meaning of Smoking among Farmworkers in Southern Philippines

Cigarette smoking is recognized as a global health threat. By the same token, it remains highly prevalent in low and middle-income families like farmworkers, despite efforts by the government and private health agencies to prevent smoking. Thus, this study explored the meaning of smoking among farmworkers and how the meanings reproduced their tenets while living in a farming community. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that qualitatively investigated the smoking phenomenon among farmworkers in a rural area in Southern Philippines— a topic that has not been treated in much detail in the literature. The research framework used in this work is the socio-cultural tradition (SCT) of communication theory, which theorizes communication as the (re)production of the social order. Using narrative inquiry, the study delved into the seven narratives of farmworker participants about the meaning of smoking. Individual open interviews were conducted among the participants to elicit stories relative to their experience with smoking. The data were analyzed through re-storying and narrative thematic analysis, yielding five themes constituting their meaning of smoking that reproduced a new social order. Results showed that smoking is (1) a parent and peer influence, (2) a means to manage negative feelings and emotions, (3) a thought-provoker and organizer, (4) a culture among friends, and (5) an integral part of life. All these meanings consequently formed and reinforced a new social order, seemingly an indestructible barrier to smoking cessation. Anchored on SCT, it can be surmised that farmworkers’ tenets, while living in their community, were reproduced by these meanings of smoking that governed their lives.

Supporting recovery, healing and wellbeing with Aboriginal communities of the southeast coast of Australia: a practice-based study of an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation’s response to cumulative disasters

BackgroundThe recent crises of bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic on the southeast coast of Australia were unprecedented in their extent and intensity. Few studies have investigated responses to cumulative disasters in First Nations communities, despite acknowledgement that these crises disproportionately impact First Nations people. This study was conducted by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers in partnership with Waminda, South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). It investigated the collective experiences of people affected by cumulative disasters to identify the practices that support healing, and recovery for Aboriginal communities. The study addresses a knowledge gap of how Waminda, designs, manages and delivers responses to address complex health and social issues in the context of cumulative disasters.MethodsUnderpinned by practice theory this study employed Indigenous-informed, narrative inquiry. Culturally-appropriate, multiple interpretive methods were used to collect data including: observations; yarns with Aboriginal community members, yarns with Waminda practitioners, management and board members; interviews-to-the-double, visual images and documentation. The data were collated and analysed using the phases of reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThe paper articulates a suite of culturally safe and place-based practices that enhance social, emotional and spiritual well-being following cumulative disasters. These practice bundles include: adopting a Country-centred conception of local communities; being community-led; viewing care as a collective, relational, sociomaterial accomplishment and having fluid boundaries. These practice bundles ‘hang together’ through organising practices including the Waminda Model of Care, staff wellbeing framework and emergency management plan which orient action and manage risks. The paper demonstrates the need for disaster responses to be community-led and culturally situated. ACCHOs are shown to play a crucial role, and their local responses to immediate community needs are grounded in contextual knowledge and use existing resources rather than relying on mainstream system-wide interventions.ConclusionsThe paper suggests crafting responses that focus on assisting communities (re)gain their sense of belonging, hope for the future, control over their lives and their capacities to care for and to be cared for by Country, are key to both enhancing healing, health and well-being and harnessing the strengths of communities.

Through the looking glass: perspectives on an alternative to incarceration by Utah women

ABSTRACT This study explores the research question ‘what can we learn from the narratives of formerly incarcerated women who have participated in an alternative model of justice?’ Six women were interviewed from The Other Side Academy (TOSA) in Utah. Narrative inquiry and journaling were used to document what an alternative to incarceration looked like. Each woman gave a detailed narrative about what their lives looked like before entering the program. Themes that emerged were Doing Time and Dead at the Door. Contrary to the belief that incarceration is rehabilitative the stories these women shared revealed a different outcome. This study found that viable alternatives to incarceration exist and for a small group of Utah women I discovered this to be true. Collectively these women’s shared viewpoints of TOSA exhibited what self-transformation looks like when a restorative justice framework is followed.

When EFL learner identity intersects with their investment: Stories from Indonesia

Current research has looked at learner identity as a single construct and is studied as a separate entity from English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ investment in learning. While the issue has gained much attention in recent times, there is an urgency to explore the intersection of learner identity and investment in English as a foreign language learning. To fill this lacuna, the present study employed a narrative inquiry to understand four Indonesian EFL learners’ identity construction and their investment. Data were garnered from individual semi-structured interviews that discerned the participants’ prior English learning experiences, present perspectives on learning English, and their future aspirations. In analyzing the data, we followed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step analysis procedure. Findings suggest that learners’ prior learning experiences, current perspectives about the role of English in global communications, and their participation in the community of practice serve as mediators in their identity construction process and investment practices. In addition, investment influenced the way the participants constructed their identities as EFL learners. This study suggests the incorporation of identity-awareness pedagogy into the ELT curriculum in order to create more inclusive EFL teaching and learning practices.

Adapting to the 21st Century Learning: Teaching Strategies of Filipino Sped Teachers in the United States

This study employs a narrative research methodology to explore the instructional modifications and teaching practices utilized by Filipino Special Education (SPED) teachers in the United States to meet the demands of 21st-century learning. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten purposely selected SPED educators, key themes emerged, including technology integration, differentiated instruction, cultural sensitivity, individualized education plans (IEPs), family and community involvement, and the creation of sensory-friendly environments. Participants highlighted the importance of leveraging technology for personalized learning, implementing varied instructional strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles, and incorporating culturally relevant materials to foster inclusivity. Regular IEP reviews and active family engagement were identified as critical for enhancing student motivation and success. Additionally, creating sensory-friendly classroom environments was emphasized as essential for supporting students' sensory processing needs. The findings indicate that these multifaceted strategies not only promote academic achievement but also enhance social-emotional development and inclusivity among students with special needs. Recommendations include ongoing professional development for educators, increased parental involvement in the IEP process, and systematic reviews of instructional strategies. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how Filipino SPED teachers adapt their practices in diverse contexts, ultimately informing educational policies and teacher preparation programs aimed at fostering equitable learning environments.

Tracing the dynamics of motivational self-constructs across the lifespan: Tales from senior learners of English

In the context of an ageing and increasingly more independent learning population, a narrative inquiry into the life stories of motivated and still active senior language users remains a promising yet unexplored area. This case study forms part of a PhD research (Darnault, 2023) on the motivational dynamics of lifelong foreign language learning (FLL) individuals. We recorded the retrospective stories of 3 exceptionally motivated French senior learners of English, aged 65 to 80, from childhood to their current learning experience. Our triangulated and multimodal approach elicited written, oral and visual data. An inductive thematic analysis first highlighted the emergence of motivational peaks, subsequently followed by the examination of clusters of self-constructs within participants’ individual time frames in light of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) framework. Results showed that upon retirement all three learners integrated language learning into their daily routine, incorporating it as an integral part of their identity and broader sense of self outside L2 domain-specific motivational constructs. A particularly unyielding hybrid L2 self emerged in later years, drawing from the combination of ought-to, ideal and anti-ought-to selves that prevailed with different degrees of intensity and interaction according to life periods.

Showing Up for Gifted Children: Answering the Call to Action

ABSTRACT This narrative inquiry highlights the first year of a 5-year Jacob K. Javits grant. In it, the authors detail their experiences writing and receiving the grant and beginning the equity-focused work of helping develop and expand gifted education in Michigan. Michigan currently has no gifted education legislation or funding, so this Javits team began the work to build an equitable system using the most recent research in our field. Given the lack of a playbook for building an equitable gifted education program from the start, through narrative methods, the authors share not only their actions, but also the challenges, internal and external, which threatened, and continue to threaten, the success of the project. They argue that choosing action over conflicting emotions enables them to show up, ready or not, to fight for the dignity of gifted children everywhere.

Narrative Inquiry Describing Young Adult Perspectives About Leaving Residential Treatment as a Child

ABSTRACT Empirical research exploring treatment outcomes among children in residential treatment centers (RTCs) is rare. Consequentially, there is an increasing demand for more studies examining such outcomes, particularly as they pertain to an individual’s experience leaving an RTC. This transitional period is believed to be a salient component impacting mental health treatment outcomes. Yet, little is known about how this residential treatment component is experienced and whether it impacts individuals long-term. This narrative qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of young adults who transitioned out of an RTC as a child. Participants recounted their experiences before, during, and after this transition. Six participants who resided in an RTC as a child for at least six consecutive months recounted their life experiences, producing 26 hours of interview data. Data were transcribed, coded, and written in narrative and thematic form. Our analysis produced three themes: learned and used effective coping skills, developed impactful relationships, and difficult adjustment post-discharge.

How Does New Media Shape the Sense of Belonging and Social Identity? The Social and Psychological Processes of Sustainable Successful Reintegration for Rehabilitated People

Objective: This study aims to explore the role of new media in shaping the social identity and reintegration of rehabilitated individuals (ex-offenders), given the increasing societal attention on their successful reintegration. The objective is to analyze how media dependency and social identity formation contribute to their sustainable reintegration into society. Methods: Conducted in 2022–2023, the study adopted a narrative research paradigm. It employed qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and participant observation, to investigate the decision-making processes of rehabilitated people under social adaptation pressures. The analysis was framed by media dependency theory and the two-dimensional model of social identity (Evaluation-Relationship). Results: The findings reveal that media dependency significantly enhances the construction of rehabilitated individuals’ social identity, aiding in their successful reintegration. The process of media dependency facilitates emotional support, providing an important outlet for resolving ambivalences in identity during the reintegration process. Moreover, media dependency strengthens the positive impact of new media on identity formation, thereby supporting sustainable reintegration into society. Conclusions: This study underscores the practical importance of media in identity reconstruction for rehabilitated individuals. The findings offer insights for policymakers to design more inclusive media policies that reduce stigmatization. Additionally, the results provide valuable guidance for social workers and counselors in leveraging new media to offer emotional support and identity reconstruction. Future research should examine identity formation in diverse socio-cultural contexts to further understand how new media can support sustainable reintegration.

Integrating Research, Theory and Knowledge for Professional Development: A Narrative Inquiry

This personal narrative in qualitative research investigation delves into the impact of reflection on the personal and professional growth of educators. Critical reflection emerges as a pivotal concept that educators assimilate into their daily practices. Despite ongoing discussions about its essential nature, the role of critically reading and reflecting on theories and research in preparing teachers within South Asian pedagogy remains uncertain. This article adopts a cross-case study approach, incorporating a personal narrative from an educator to explore critical reflection in community development. The researcher critically analyzes two scholarly articles from distinct journals, grounded in the belief that theory and knowledge evolve through simultaneous research and reflection. The study’s findings underscore the importance of reflection in enhancing teachers’ awareness of personal and professional growth, contributing to advanced community knowledge. Improving professional knowledge through research is a key outcome, enabling educators to optimize theory and knowledge for locally relevant, high-quality scholarship.

The (re)construction of the multilingual identity of a Chilean graduate student in South Korea: a narrative inquiry

ABSTRACT A growing number of students studying abroad in Asian countries face a common linguistic experience: the language of instruction in the courses they follow is English, which is not the language of the host country and international students whose L1 is neither English nor Korean must thus need to (re)construct their academic and personal identities in various multiple second languages (L2). This study presents the narrative of a Chilean student who had recently completed postgraduate studies in an English-taught programme at a South Korean university. It explores how she constructed a life for herself in South Korea and built a multilingual identity. It highlights in particular the tension she experienced between the two L2s involved: English and Korean. The participant was interviewed four times, and her answers were reconstituted into a narrative. Analysis of the narrative highlights four key themes: language learning enthusiasm, the learner’s investment in language learning, the process of identity reconstruction, and maintaining multilingualism.