Principled Adaptation for Narrative Expression: Expanding What Counts in the Language Arts Classroom

• In Event: 64.089 - Sheraton Roundtable 12 - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 64.089-9 - Representing and Curating the Self: Researching Identity in Narrative, Storytelling, and the Everyday

Abstract

Federal education policy has pursued narrow notions of what counts as ELA literacy instruction, limiting emphasis on narrative expression within ninth grade ELA classrooms. This study details how teachers and students used a newly designed project-based learning curriculum to build interpretive communities (Bruner, 2002) and create multimodal compositions, expanding opportunities for narrative writing in classrooms. Findings highlight how one classroom community made adaptations to take photos to tell stories about themselves while two classroom communities conducted interviews to tell stories about others. All three classroom communities used narrative expression to connect to their families and peers. Student products also showed promise in meeting disciplinary literacy standards when scored and adjudicated on a modified state-assessment rubric.

Authors

• Aaron Micah Guggenheim, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Karla Scornavacco, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Joseph L. Polman, University of Colorado - Boulder