Narrative Inquiry

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There is a myriad of reasons why narrative inquiry is appropriate for this study. The rationale for applying a narrative inquiry to this study is because it is one of the best ways to reflect upon experiences that explore multicultural and linguistic teaching strategies (Cavendish, 2011). Additionally, narrative inquiry is about knowing, as it allows teachers to reflect upon their individual teaching practices, which has the capability to shape and transform current teaching practices into something new and effective in the multicultural classroom (Mendieta, 2013). Narrative inquiry is salient in this study because it allows ESOL teachers to closely examine their language instructional strengths and weaknesses in the classroom, and helps …show more content…

8). Essentially, knowing a teacher’s social and cultural background aids in understanding their practical knowledge and how it shapes language teaching. The third and final reason why narrative inquiry approach is significant in conducting this study is that it allows teachers to make sense of the world around them, and in the world in which they live. It is progressive in its orientation due to the relationships and associations that teachers have with people from culturally diverse backgrounds. In effect, an acute awareness of multiculturalism and linguistic diversity is brought to the frontage of the teachers’ classroom (Mendieta, …show more content…

It utilizes storytelling as a way of communicating the participants’ realities to a larger audience. By using narratives format to present findings, researchers can access rich layers of information that provide a more in-depth understand of the particulars of the participants’ points of view” (Wang, 2015, p. 195). Furthermore, the purpose and goal of this particular research design is to collect the personal life stories and oral history of ESOL teachers, specifically as they relate to language teaching and learning; to reflect upon the stories and oral histories of the participants in order to capture teaching strategies and practices gained through lived experiences, with the hopes that ESOL teachers will become more aware and advanced in their thinking about teaching. Finally, to illuminate how individual ESOL teachers’ thinking is materialized within instructional practices, and interactions with students in specific

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