Narratives of Classroom Life: Changing Conceptions of Knowledge

Narratives of classroom life--the type that blend analysis with artistry, in the form of plays, poems, stories, and the like--remain relatively uncommon within language education research. Yet such narratives have the potential to make a significant and timely contribution to the field, given the ways in which knowledge is being reconceptualised in this postmodern, transglobal era. Here I make a case that incorporating crafted classroom-life narratives into language education's research repertoire--within a body of work that I propose be called "critical narrative studies"--can help to address the field's changing needs by further democratising knowledge production and exchange, illuminating subtle yet vital dimensions of classroom interactions, and prompting imaginative interpretations and revisionings. My argument draws together relevant strands of applied linguistics research; narrative theories and research from education, sociology, and the arts; and several classroom narratives of mine. I conclude with recommendations for enhancing the rigour and reach of studies that incorporate narratives of classroom life, in light of some important dilemmas and cautions.