The trouble with "getting personal": New narratives for new times in classroom writing assignments

• Published in: English teaching : practice and critique Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 102 - 115
• Main Authors: Laidlaw, Linda, Suzanna So-Har Wong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hamilton University of Waikato, Department of English 01.12.2013; Wilf Malcolm Institute for Educational Research, University of Waikato
• Subjects: Adoption; Bias; Canada; Classrooms; Educational Environment; Educational Research; Elementary education; Elementary School Students; Elementary School Teachers; English Instruction; Focus Groups; Foreign Countries; Interviews; Language arts; Learning Processes; Narratives; Parents; Problems; Student writing; Systems Approach; Teacher Educators; Writing (Composition); Writing Assignments; Writing instruction; Canada
• ISSN: 2059-5727; 1175-8708

This article explores and interrogates the common practice of asking students to write personal narratives within elementary English Language Arts classrooms, addressing some of the difficulties that may arise when students are required to share personal details. Using interview and focus-group data from a study of internationally adopted children and schooling, and a number of autobiographical experiences, using a complexity thinking frame, we address some of the challenges such assignments can present for students who have diverse cultural, family or life history backgrounds. We examine some teacher biases that can present difficulties within writing assignments and present some new narrative possibilities and literacy practices that can be more inclusive of all students and acknowledge diversity.