[Webinar] Revisiting Narrative Analysis in Language Education Research

Link to the Zoom meeting: https://hsuhk.zoom.us/j/94222893023

(Meeting ID: 942 2289 3023; Password: dRBt4P)

Narrative inquiry is now a well-established methodological approach in applied linguistics, especially within the domain of language learning and teaching. As a result, a growing body of literature has specifically addressed epistemological and methodological issues related to narrative perspectives in the field (e.g., Barkhuizen, 2013; Bell, 2002, 2011; Benson, 2018). In this talk, I will extend the epistemological and methodological debates which have characterised narrative inquiry in language education over the past decade. In particular, I will put the spotlight on a specific method, narrative analysis, i.e., the process of writing stories as an approach to data analysis and representation of research findings. To do so, I will unpack my experience of doing narrative analysis through MAXQDA, a Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) Software which may help researchers manage a large dataset. Crucially, the use of this software does not only facilitate narrative analysis whilst dealing with a large amount of data from several data sources, but also supports researchers’ engagement with methodological reflexivity. The steps and processes I will discuss in this talk will therefore legitimize further the rigour of this narrative methodology.

Sal Consoli is (Research) Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Communication at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). His research focuses on the psychology of language learning and teaching with emphasis on learner motivation and engagement as well as language teacher wellbeing. He also has an active interest in research ethics and reflexivity in applied linguistics. Sal has developed the concept of life capital which offers a heuristic to account for language learners’ and teachers’ life stories and understand how these interact with learning and teaching experiences. Sal has recently co-edited a Special Issue on Narrative Inquiry for the journal System and one on Research Engagement for the journal Educational Action Research.