Heavy Lifting: The Pedagogical Work of Life Narratives

McNeill, Laurie S.; Douglas, Kate

doi:10.1080/08989575.2017.1250061

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Research on life-writing has shown that both structures and theories of narrative should be highlighted when teaching life-writing texts in order to stimulate critical reflection on the values, opinions and identities expressed in the texts (Drake 2017;Fuchs & Howes 2008;McNeill & Douglas 2017;Smith & Watson 2010). These findings are supported by critical literacy research, which centres on the recognition that no text is neutral, but always embedded in various everyday power contexts, and which consequently advocates awareness of contexts and structures as a requisite for critical reading (Luke 2012).…”

Section: Developing Narrative As a Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Military life-writing facilitates integration of knowledge and transfer of skills, as cadets can draw on knowledge from other subjects in their discussions in a manner similar to how life-writing is used in other non-traditional settings across the humanities, social sciences and sciences. In these settings life-writing in the form of fiction, autobiography, interviews, diaries and case studies is approached not as literary texts, but for the wide range of ' cultural work ' (McNeill & Douglas 2017: 3) the texts can support, and the diverse perspectives and experiences they bring into the classroom (Brown 2010;Fuchs & Howes 2008;Parker 2017). Utility rests on the life-writing narrative's capacity to generate critical reflection on the realities, qualities and characteristics of being a military professional.…”

Section: Interdisciplinary and Subject-specific Benefits Of Life-writmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards a Narrative Method: Using Life-Writing in Military Education

Hagen¹

2019

Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies

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This article begins by considering current English as second language (EL2) teaching in Norwegian professional military education (PME) and reflecting on how reading narrative life-writing texts written by former military personnel supports interdisciplinary learning and contributes to the development of English language skills. It then shows how, by building on this current practice, narrative may be developed into a method of critical reading and communication for junior officers. Situating the use of life-writing texts in the context of military interest in narrative in the twenty-first century, and building on insights from life-writing and literacy research, the article argues that the reading of life-writing texts in military EL2 classes should be accompanied by teaching material and reading approaches designed to develop knowledge of narrative structures and techniques and awareness of how the text seeks to affect the reader. It further argues that this knowledge is a transferable skill of use to the military as a flexible communication tool: a narrative method.

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Section: Developing Narrative As a Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interdisciplinary and Subject-specific Benefits Of Life-writmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Narrative Method: Using Life-Writing in Military Education

Hagen¹

2019

Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies

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“…Professionals point out that the past experiences are present in the here-andnow of the students in school, sometimes by accident, but usually they sense the students carry more than the immediate experience of sitting in the classroom and assumedly "only" studying (see Goodson et al, 2010;Jaatinen, 2003;Kinossalo, 2015;McNeil & Douglas, 2017;Ropo, 2019).…”

Section: Multilingual Students As Meaning Making Individualsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is the framework within which life-story identities are born. Importantly, as a growing body of literature in narrative identity theory suggests, autobiography influences learning and knowing (Goodson et al, 2010;Goodson & Gill, 2011;Jaatinen, 2003;Kinossalo, 2015Kinossalo, , 2020McNeil & Douglas, 2017;Ropo, 2015b;. In offering their support for life-story identities, educators take a crucial step away from encountering students primarily as migrants who contrast with their native students (Kurki, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-story pedagogy for identity

Kinossalo

Jousmäki

Intke-Hernandez

2022

Apples

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Identity as a life story is constructed in social interaction with the surrounding world in a narrative continuum through language. When given pedagogic recognition for active meaning-making and construction of personal identity, the student is encountered in a just and holistic manner. In school, skills related to identity construction are taught especially in language education. In Finland, the central aim established in the Core Curriculum for learning mother tongue and literature is to teach students linguistic skills with which to word, interpret, understand, make meaning and construct oneself and the world in interaction with others. Although the identity-mission is shared by all curricular activities, the importance of mother tongue and literature gives reason to call it the ‘identity subject’ proper. Yet, in multilingual educational contexts, not everyone’s mother tongue is equal, as analysed in multi-professional interview data in this paper. For migrant-language speakers, there is a major expectation to learn one of the national languages for participation and active citizenship. This leads to undermining two things. First, the process can also take place vice versa: participation enhances feelings of belonging, which enhances language learning. Second, the first language plays a central role in constructing life-story identity. Although identity construction is cherished in the Core Curriculum, it is not automatically valued, offered, or endorsed in the context of migrant students learning their own first languages. Linguistic and cultural recognition helps to support the significance of life-story identity, and acknowledging it in structural support and in pedagogic practices will further promote all students’ equity and participation as active involvement.

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“…Determining the reach of natural biography and conservation nonfiction narratives, and the degree to which they evoke behavioural change are also topics for future research. It is hoped that my biographical nonfiction narrative, Saving Sun Bears (Figure 4), will challenge the reader by countering deeply held values and cause them to consider their place in the world (McNeill & Douglas, 2017). Measuring its level of environmental engagement and effect on behavioural change would be beneficial, as would measurement of conservation engagement prompted by the Wildlife Wong series of children's books and the accompanying hands-on workshops.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife Tourism: Extending Post-Experience Conservation Engagement Through Interpretive Nonfiction Narratives

2022

JRTM

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When complimented by effective interpretation, experiential wildlife tourism has been identified as a pathway to potentially transform tourists' environmental knowledge and attitudes. However, such powerful engagement capacity is often diluted post-experience and the opportunity for its translation to behavioural change is lost. Utilising non-traditional forms of conservation-related messaging has the capacity to broaden the conservation potential of wildlife tourism by extending learning and prompting behavioural change. This paper explores the power of long-form nonfiction narratives to extend the learning from on-site interpretation and broaden conservation engagement. It is illustrated by the case study of collaboration between Dr Wong Siew Te, founder and Director of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, and Dr Sarah Pye's author of nonfiction narratives based on Dr Wong's experiences.

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Heavy Lifting: The Pedagogical Work of Life Narratives

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Towards a Narrative Method: Using Life-Writing in Military Education

Towards a Narrative Method: Using Life-Writing in Military Education

Life-story pedagogy for identity

Wildlife Tourism: Extending Post-Experience Conservation Engagement Through Interpretive Nonfiction Narratives

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